


RUN FOR YOU

by FanOfTU



Category: KAT-TUN (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-23
Updated: 2015-02-22
Packaged: 2018-02-05 20:42:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 25,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1831600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanOfTU/pseuds/FanOfTU
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every day was the same in that small cell within the laboratory.  It was a never-ending nightmare of tests and trials.  What would happen if that never-ending cycle was broken though?  What would happen if they saw the outside world again?  Soon enough, they'd find out.</p>
<p>And when they did, they were plunged into something far more serious than they ever imagined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone~ FanOfTA here >.> This is my first time writing a fic on this site, so forgive me for being a tad new and awkward with it. Anyways, this story is based on the PV for Run For You, because it's always screamed a story to me. It wasn't until 2 years later that I realized I could actually write the story myself though hehe XD So, that being said, I hope you enjoy. It's probably going to be a long ride because I tend to write a lot >.> Thank you for reading :3

“ _Wait! Please, don't leave me here! Please! Come back!”_

 

_A young boy pressed his hands harshly against his ears, trying in vain to block out the constant shouts and screams echoing throughout the facility. He hadn't slept in weeks because of how noisy it was. He was at the peak of insanity. Suddenly, a certain voice caught his attention._

 

_It was the voice of another boy. It was faint in actuality, but loud and clear within the other boy's ears. The voice was crying quietly, alone and scared. Something about it resonated within the boy listening in. He wanted nothing more than to call out to the crying boy, tell him that he was there, that he wasn't alone. The latter would never hear him though. The walls prevented any noise from reaching the other cellmates. It was only him who could hear these things. Instead, he listened to the soft cries, each one cutting painfully into his chest until he succumbed to sleep out of pure exhaustion._

 

_It was always like this. He was always so close to everyone, so close to believing that he could be there for someone and they could be there for him. But in the end, he was always completely alone._

 

~*~

      Tatsuya woke up to the same ringing alarm that sounded every morning throughout the facility. He sighed and rubbed his eyes before glancing over at his metal bed post. _Ueda Tatsuya_ was carved into it. He'd done it with a metal shard from his equipment that had broken a few years ago. The scientists had replaced his equipment the following day. Thankfully, they hadn't noticed the engraving on his bed.

 

      He'd scratched it there to be a constant reminder of who he was. _Ueda Tatsuya_. That was his full name. No one had called him that name for years though. How many years, he wasn't sure. The scientists had told him he'd been there for 10 years the last time he'd asked. How long ago was that? He wouldn't know.

 

      He was Test Subject No. 64 to them. He was a thing, not a person. He'd come to understand that ages ago. It no longer even bothered him when he was addressed that way or treated roughly. The only reason he wanted to remember his name was so that he had proof that he was a human once. At least he thought he was.

 

      He couldn't remember much beyond when he was brought to the lab. He was around 15 at the time, according to the scientists. He had to have been doing something for those missing 15 years of his life, but no matter how hard he thought, the memories just weren't there. He didn't think those memories mattered much anymore though. He didn't want to remember anything other than his time in the laboratory. He worried that if he did remember other things, he would long for those memories to become a reality every day and night, only causing more grief on his part. Ignorance was bliss.

 

      Someone pounded on his door and shouted at him to wake up. He groaned and rubbed his eyes once again before pushing himself off his small, less-than-comfortable bed. He stretched his arms over his head and yawned before walking towards the door of his cell. It didn't open from his side, so he had to wait for a scientist to let him out from the other side.

 

      The door was opened about 30 seconds after Tatsuya reached it. The scientists were always punctual. After that, he was lead to a small room where he was served what was supposed to be a meal. Apparently it had all the nutritional contents he needed to survive and be healthy, but it tasted like blended cardboard to him. Somehow, the memory of food never fully left him, but it had faded to the point where he could handle eating cardboard in a can without wishing for something else.

 

      His tests began shortly after. They were basic tests to make sure he was still able to function at full capacity and nothing was terribly wrong with him. After, his physical training began. It lasted most of the morning. He was put through several different courses and weight lifting sessions to ensure he was completely fit and strong.

 

      After that, he would have another short 'meal,' then be sent off to sparring sessions with various different martial arts masters. Tatsuya wasn't entirely sure why this was necessary if he was an experiment. The scientists said it was so he would be able to hold his own in a fight. Tatsuya always figured the test subjects were being trained to be soldiers though. He'd never left the lab to fight a war, however, so his theory remained simply that.

 

      Finally, for the remainder of the day, he would train and go through tests related to his 'gift' in his room. What was that gift? He was able to hear even the quietest of noises within a 100 kilometer radius. In addition, he could hear a heightened range of decibels compared to the average human. Supposedly, it was a gift that would help gauge his surroundings and sneak about. To him it was a curse though.

 

      He'd learned to control his hearing over the years, to lower it to that of an average human when necessary, to ignore the constant bustling of shuffles and breaths and creaks. Still, he always heard more than he wanted to. The constant noise wore away at his mental fortitude. He was always exhausted by the end of the day, physically from the constant tests and trials, and mentally from his 'gift.'

 

      Today was no different from any others. When he'd finished his sparring session, he was taken back to his room. He sat in the same chair as always, surrounded by several machines and cords. He grabbed the headphones from one of them and put them on with a sigh. The scientists were trying to increase the range of frequencies he could hear even more. In addition, they'd been teaching him how to understand different kinds of codes. These exercises always bored him. They lasted for such a long time and all he ever heard were obnoxious amounts of ringing and buzzing noises. He would take hearing every single rat scamper through the facility at night over this torture.

 

      Finally, the scientists said he'd made decent progress and that he was done for the day. He was given his meal, then left alone in his room. He stared around the empty cell. There was nothing on the walls except for rectangular panels comprising it and a few miscellaneous letters that he didn't understand the meaning of.

 

      He glanced at his many machines. He went over to one and began messing with the wires and then turning the dials. He put his headphones on and sighed, closing his eyes. He'd figured out how to rewire one of his machines into a radio. He often used music to sooth his nerves at the end of the day. Most times, he'd listen to instrumentals, since words forced him to pay attention to something.

 

      He heard a series of doors being shut, despite his music, and slid his headphones off, looking up at the ceiling. His neighboring cellmates must have finished their tests. At one point, Tatsuya might have felt bad about eavesdropping on others. Now, it was something he did almost regularly to make himself feel a bit less alone in this massive place.

 

      The first cellmate he checked in on was in the cell to the right of him. This person had a rather rough, raspy voice, and seemed to growl at the scientists rather than talk to them. Tatsuya had learned of this person's temper over the years. When things got too overwhelming for this cellmate, he would scream and kick things around in his room. He'd even punched the wall once. Anyone else in the facility probably wouldn't have heard him, but to Tatsuya, it was impossible not to notice. Each and every shout that came from the man was etched into his memory.

 

      Tonight, he seemed to be fairly tired. He fell asleep almost immediately after returning to his room.

 

      The next person Tatsuya checked in on was the cellmate to his left. This one always made the most interesting noises. Tatsuya couldn't help but wonder if he would have been a performer, had he not been taken to the lab. He was always making percussion-like sounds with just his mouth. Tatsuya thought it was amazing. Sometimes, he would even applaud when the cellmate would accomplish a new trick.

 

      He wished the latter could hear the applause. Perhaps it would keep his spirits up. Tatsuya always heard him sigh. It was the sigh of someone who'd given up and was just living from day to day, no hope in sight. Granted, Tatsuya wasn't any different. Still, he could at least pretend he wasn't alone.

 

      Today, this cellmate was once more making the strangest noises with his mouth. Tatsuya smiled and listened for a while, before moving on to the next person.

 

      This person was in the cell behind his. Tatsuya's heart went out to this person. The cellmate always seemed so friendly, greeting the scientists happily, even when he knew he was going to be put through painful tests that day. Tatsuya would often hear him telling jokes and puns to no audience, then bursting out laughing. Tatsuya hated most of his jokes, but still, if he needed a reason to smile, they were there.

 

      The thing that hurt Tatsuya most was what often followed the bouts of laughter. Anyone else might have been fooled, hearing him laugh, but Tatsuya's ears knew better. He knew that those laughs were masking tears. He knew those coughs were attempts to stop the emotions from spilling over. Tatsuya hated those sounds.

 

      That night, the man was once again cracking himself up with never-ending bad jokes. Tatsuya didn't listen long enough to hear the tears that would follow.

 

      Instead, he shifted his attention to the last cellmate he usually listened to. This one was much farther away from him than the other three. Still, he was the one Tatsuya listened to the most. This cellmate was the first voice Tatsuya ever latched onto when he arrived at the labs. This cellmate was the one that Tatsuya would hear crying every night when they were younger. He was the one that Tatsuya wanted to meet, the one he wanted to take care of. All he could ever do was listen to him from a distance though.

 

      From what Tatsuya had gathered listening to the scientists talking to this cellmate, the other had a gift similar to his, except he could see for heightened distances. In addition, he had visions. Each time he had one though, he was put through a lot of stress and pain. Tatsuya hated hearing him going through that.

 

      That night, this cellmate was sleeping peacefully, though from his breathing, Tatsuya could tell it had been a rough day for him.

 

      Tatsuya walked over to his bed and laid down on it. He sighed and placed his forearm over his eyes, listening to his cellmate sleep. This was how he lulled himself to sleep each night. He used to consider himself a freak for using such a method to sleep, but now, he didn't really care. Any opinions of himself had long since faded. Now, he just did what he needed to do in order to make it to the next day.

 

      His worries and feelings for the other cellmates were genuine though. Even though they'd never met, he was grateful they were there and considered them close to him. After all, they were what kept him from being engulfed by solitude. He turned on his side and stared at the engraving of his name on his bed post. This day would end, just like every other. Tomorrow, another day would begin, in the same fashion. The cycle was seemingly never-ending, and the days went by in a blur. That was the life of a test subject.

 

      He let out one final sigh before whispering something. It had become almost an evening ritual for him. It was the one thing he wished all his cellmates could hear.

      “You're not alone. I'm right here.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

      The following day started just like any other. Tatsuya labored through the morning exercises. He did well sparring, landing some good hits on his instructor without taking too many himself. His breakfast and lunch tasted about the same as always. It wasn't until it was time for his individual training that something out of the ordinary happened.

 

      He was sitting in his chair, waiting to receive instructions from the scientists, when a piercing scream reached his ears. He jumped and looked around. It seemed loud enough for anyone to have heard, but the scientists remained oblivious. Another cry reached his ears and he was able to make out words.

_“Stop! It hurts!”_

 

      Tatsuya's eyes went wide. He knew that voice. It was the voice he knew best, that of his distant cellmate. Tatsuya cringed as another cry rang out. The cellmate was pleading for the scientists to stop.

 

      Tatsuya switched his focus to the scientists that were performing the tests on his cellmate. He winced as loud shouts flooded his ears.

_“You aren't trying hard enough!”_

_“I can't just make the visions appear! They happen at random!”_ The cellmate cried.

_“That's why you're training with us! You need to learn to summon the visions!”_

_“I can't! I don't control them!”_

_“Try harder!”_

 

      The sound of a smack pierced through Tatsuya. For a while, all he could hear was ringing, but as he came back to his senses, he realized the scientists in his room were yelling at him as well.

      “No. 64! Get your ass in gear! We should have started your tests 5 minutes ago!”

      “S-Sorry...” Tatsuya mumbled.

      “Just hurry up!” The scientist snapped.

 

      Tatsuya nodded feebly and grabbed his headphones. As he was about to put them on, he heard another cry. He completely froze, headphones still hovering above his head. Another smack followed and grit his teeth, wishing the sounds would stop.

 

      His cellmate was in so much pain. Tatsuya knew well how hard it was on his cellmate's body to have a vision in the first place. To try and force one on himself was pure torture. The scientists were so insensitive to their pain.

 

      He heard another cry and his grip on his headphones tightened. If the scientists tormented his cellmate any longer, he wouldn't let it go. He didn't know what he would do, but he wouldn't stand for them hurting his cellmate. Anyone but him.

      “TEST SUBJECT NO. 64!” A scientist shouted as he smacked Tatsuya as hard as he could across the face.

 

      Tatsuya slid the headphones on rapidly, resisting the urge to place his hand on his stinging cheek. He gulped back the tears that were naturally forming from the pain and stared coldly at the scientist who hit him.

      “I'm ready,” Tatsuya almost hissed.

      “You better watch yourself, No. 64...” The scientist warned. “You'll be penalized if you misbehave.”

 

      Tatsuya simply continued to glare at him. When the air between the two was almost dangerous, Tatsuya finally turned to his machines. Another scientist cautiously began the tests, not wanting to misstep and push either Tatsuya or the other scientist over the edge.

 

      Tatsuya couldn't concentrate for most of his tests. The distant cellmate's screams always came at the worse possible moments when he needed to focus the most. The scientists were quickly losing patience with him.

 

      When he'd finally almost accomplished one of his tests perfectly, a particularly painful cry reached his ears. Tatsuya winced at the sound, knowing that his cellmate had finally conjured a vision after all the torment the scientists had put him through.

 

      Tatsuya received another blow to his cheek for zoning out in the middle of his test. His eyes watered again from the pain, but he refused to cry in front of the scientists. He'd forced himself to stop crying years ago. Instead, he simply started the test over. He was able to concentrate this time since his cellmate had finally stopped screaming.

 

      The scientists forced him to train late into the evening, into his final meal time. When he was done, the scientists told him that he wouldn't be receiving food that evening because of his poor performance. Tatsuya didn't really care though.

 

      After some time had gone by and he was sure he would be left alone for the night, Tatsuya pressed his fingers lightly to his cheek. He hissed in pain, feeling the swollen skin. He let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling before closing his eyes. Normally, he would check in on all of his cellmates at this time, but today his mind was only on one in particular. He listened for his distant cellmate, praying that the other wasn't in too bad of a condition.

 

      When he heard his cellmate, the latter was breathing harshly. Tatsuya could tell just from the sound alone that his cellmate was in a lot of pain and completely fatigued. After listening to the shaky breathing of his cellmate for a little while longer, Tatsuya sat up in his chair.

 

      His own breathing was rapid and erratic, but not from pain. He was furious. This was the first time he'd heard the scientists treat his cellmate so ruthlessly, and he wouldn't let it happen again. Perhaps he was being too protective over someone whose face he'd never even seen. All he knew was that he wasn't going to sit around and let the scientists continue to treat them that way.

 

      He stared around his room, noting the bland walls and the narrow space. He'd known this prison for ten years now. He'd never even given a thought to what lied beyond the walls of his cell. He hadn't even wondered what his cellmates looked like before.

 

      He was done being passive though. He wanted to take action now, to go beyond the four walls of his room. He wanted to see his cellmates, see what was really out there. He wanted do something. He had to.

 

      He glanced at his machinery and a thought suddenly struck him. He'd managed to turn his equipment into a radio before. What if he could turn it into a computer? If he had a computer, he figured he would find a way to get out of his cell. After all, everything was electronically operated. There had to be a way.

 

      He knelt in front of his equipment. He began taking the monitor from one, the keyboard from another, and mixing and matching several pieces and wires. He wasn't sure how much time passed as he did this. He was too focused on what he was doing to bother to keep track.

 

      Finally, he connected one last wire before turning on the makeshift computer. His heart soared when the screen lit up. Tatsuya wasn't sure why he knew how to make a working computer. Everything just seemed to come to him naturally.

 

      This computer was simple in design and functionality. All he could really do on it was type. His machine did have access to the facility's computer system though. That was really all he needed.

 

      Just as naturally as when he built the computer, he began typing away various codes and hacks. Commands seemed to flow from his fingers and into the machine. Minutes after he started typing, he gained control over the facility's security system. He shut it down with a few more lines of code, a small smirk making its way to his face.

 

      Soon after shutting down the security system, he gained control over the facility's electricity. If he shut that off, all the electronic locks on their cells would deactivate. He would then be able to escape and find his cellmate.

 

      His ears caught the panicked voices of guards and scientists in the distance. They were fretting over a breach in security. Tatsuya knew he would have to act faster than the scientists. He continued hacking into the system and finally gained control over the electricity and shut it off. Almost instantly, the lights in his room went off along with his computer. That was his cue to leave. The scientists were probably already working on turning the power back on and regaining control, so he needed to be diligent.

 

      He rushed to the door and began trying to pry it open. It was hard to get open at first, but once he'd pushed it enough to where he could get a good grip on it, it opened with ease. He rushed out into the dark hallways, glancing around.

 

      His eyes weren't adjusted to the dark just yet, but his ears would make up for what his eyes lacked. He listened closely to make sure there were no guards near him. It was only a matter of time before the hallways were swarmed with them.

 

      As he began to move towards the direction of his distant cellmate, he jumped at the sound of creaking metal. The door of the cell to the right of him was pushed open. A figure walked out, clicking his tongue and looking around.

      “Damn, it's dark...What the hell is happening...?”

      “You're...” Tatsuya started, recognizing the voice.

      “Who's there!?” The other shouted.

      “Shh...It's just me. I'm from the cell next to you. Can you see?”

      “No, I can't see shit. What kind of question is that? Hold on a second.”

 

      The other person snapped their fingers and a flash of lighting danced above their hand, illuminating the surrounding area. The man had blond hair, despite being Japanese. Tatsuya had to wonder if the scientists actually let their prisoners die their hair like that. They'd certainly never made the offer to him.

      “Who are you?” The other cellmate asked.

      “My name's Ueda Tatsuya...And you are?”

      “Tanaka Koki. What happened here?”

      “I shut off the power.”

      “You did this?” Another voice asked from behind Tatsuya.

 

      He turned and was met with his other cellmate, the one who was in the cell to the left of him. This person looked rather plain and had a slightly big nose. There was a gentle look in his eyes though. He seemed extremely confused at the moment.

      “And who are you?” Koki growled.

      “Nakamaru Yuichi. Did you really do this?”

      “Yes,” Tatsuya stated. “We need to hurry though. The guards will be here soon.

      “Hurry? To where?” Yuichi asked.

      “I don't know about you two, but I'm leaving. I need to find someone first though,” Tatsuya explained. Koki and Yuichi exchanged glances.

      “I'm coming too,” Koki stated.

      “Me too!” Yuichi gasped.

      “Alright,” Tatsuya nodded. “But you have to move fast and stay quiet.”

      “Do you know where we're going?” Yuichi asked.

      “Not exactly, but I can navigate pretty easily. We'll be fine.”

      “You better not get us caught,” Koki growled. “If you do, I swear you'll regret it...”

 

      Tatsuya just sighed, rolling his eyes, and continued forward. The other two followed after him. From time to time, Tatsuya would rush into a dark corner, signal for the others to hide, and Koki would put out his light. Seconds later, a few guards would pass by frantically. When Tatsuya could hear that the coast was clear, he would whisper to the others to keep moving.

 

      As they were walking along, Tatsuya suddenly heard a lone set of footsteps. They didn't sound like those of a guard. They moved much faster. He was about to motion for the others to hide, but the footsteps were already upon them. Soon, a body collided with him and he fell to the floor.

      “Oh no! I-I'm sorry...I didn't...Please don't hurt me...” A new person whispered.

      “You're from the cell behind me...aren't you?” Tatsuya asked, knowing the voice all too well.

      “W-What?” The stranger asked.

      “Oi! Now's not the time to be socializing and making new friends! You said we'd get out of here!” Koki yelled. “How much longer is the power going to be off? How much longer do we have to get out!?”

      “I'm not sure,” Tatsuya groaned, getting back to his feet. “But we're all in the same position here. We all want to get out, so let's work together. We just need to keep following this path. It will lead to the person I want to find as well as an exit.”

      “How do you know that?” Koki asked.

      “I can hear everything in this facility. People walking around...People breathing...I can hear rodents scurrying across the ground...I can hear sound vibrations bouncing off the walls. I can basically hear where the exit is...”

      “That's creepy...” Koki muttered.

      “Creepy, yes. But useful,” Tatsuya sighed. “Now hurry up. We're running out of time.”

 

      He ran forward and Koki followed closely after. Yuichi put his hand on the other cellmate's shoulder and sighed.

      “We'll do introductions later. For now, follow along if you want to get out of here.”

 

      Yuichi patted his shoulder one last time before running to catch up to the others. The other man stood alone for a moment, biting his lip and contemplating over whether he should stay or go. Finally, he rushed after them as well.

 

      Tatsuya lead them quickly and carefully through the halls. From time to time, a few other test subjects who happened to be awake would scamper by. Finally, they reached the opposite side of the facility. He listened closely for his distant cellmate's breathing. When he locked on to the sound, he rushed towards the source, a cell further down the hall.

 

      When he got there, he yanked the door open and looked inside the room. A young man was lying on the bed, chest rising and falling rapidly. Tatsuya walked over to him and knelt beside the bed. He wiped the sweaty bangs out of the man's face, noting that his face was contorted in pain. Tatsuya sighed and ran his fingers through the man's soft hair.

      “It's gonna be ok. We're gonna get out of here,” he whispered.

 

      He hoisted the unconscious cellmate onto his back and quickly left the room. The others were waiting for him just outside. He closed his eyes and listened once more. The exit was nearby thankfully. He heard something disconcerting though.

_“The power should be back on in about a minute. All security measures will reactivate then as well.”_

      “The power's coming back on soon!” Tatsuya gasped. “Hurry! This way!”

 

      He ran as fast as he could down the hall. The others followed desperately behind him. He turned corners rapidly, not really caring if there were guards there or not. They had to get to the exit within a minute or else the security system would notice them when the power came back on. If they didn't make it, then all of this would have been for nothing.

 

      He turned one last corner and dashed down the hall. The exit was at the end. He could even see the two large, steel doors. The clock was ticking though. Any second the power would come back on.

 

      If they opened those doors after the power was on, an alarm would sound. The scientists had threatened Tatsuya with that information once. He'd been staring at an exit as he'd made his way to his physical exams one day. They'd told him it would sound throughout the entire building and everyone would know exactly where to find him.

 

      They needed to make it through the doors before the power came back on. If they could do that, they could gain some distance from the facility before the scientists noticed they were gone. If the alarm sounded, the guards would swarm the exit and they wouldn't make it out of the parameter.

 

      They reached the two doors and immediately shoved them open. Everything seemed to move in slow motion at that moment. As they passed through, Tatsuya waited for the lights to come back on and for the alarm to sound.

 

      As the last person passed through the doors, Tatsuya glanced back, watching them close at a painstakingly slow rate. Right when he heard the doors click shut, he saw the lights turn on through the small windows in the doors. The alarm never sounded though. They'd made it out on time.

 

      It still wasn't time to celebrate though. The outside of the facility was patrolled by guards as well. They would have to sneak through the brush and avoid the guards. It wouldn't be a problem for Tatsuya to locate the guards, but getting past unnoticed and quietly could prove difficult. Still, they had to try.

 

      He motioned for the others to be quiet and follow him. Thankfully, the area surrounding the facility consisted of bushes, long grass, and forestation. It was very easy for them to hide amidst the plants. The only problem was they made more noise moving through the plants.

 

      They crept as silently as they could away from the facility. They just needed to make it into the nearby forest. Then they would be able to move more freely, without guards patrolling by them every few minutes.

 

      Tatsuya lead them slowly through the maze of bushes and guards. As they were nearing the forest, Tatsuya stepped on a twig, causing it to snap. The sound seemed to echo through the air. Everyone froze, praying that no one else would have noticed.

 

      Unfortunately, a nearby guard heard it loud and clear, and began moving towards them. Tatsuya's heart was racing. He didn't know what to do. There was nothing he _could_ do. The guard would find them and everything would be over. They would be punished severely.

 

      As the guard neared them, Tatsuya shut his eyes, waiting to be discovered. Nothing ever happened though. In fact, everything stopped, including most of the sound. When Tatsuya opened his eyes, he looked up to find the guard frozen in place. He glanced around and noticed Yuichi was shaking while the others were dumbfounded.

      “What happened?” Koki asked.

      “I froze the entire facility and the guards...” Yuichi said, his voice strained. “I left us unfrozen though.”

      “You can do that!?” The still-unknown cellmate asked.

      “Yes. I control time...It's really hard on me though...so can we hurry and get away?”

      “WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO EARLIER!?” Koki shouted. “YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH EASIER IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IF YOU'D FROZEN TIME WHILE WE WERE ESCAPING!?”

      “Like I said,” Yuichi stressed irritably. “It's really hard on me. I really can't keep this up much longer. So move if you want to get out of here!”

      “Let's go then!” Tatsuya urged.

 

      The group ran towards the forest, not bothering to hide since no one would be pursuing them. As soon as they were safely hidden amidst the trees and the thicket, Yuichi let out a sigh and dropped to his knees. The wind began to blow again and the sounds of the night returned. Time was moving again.

      “We made it,” Yuichi whispered tiredly.

      “We made it...” Koki mumbled, awestruck, to himself. “We really made it...”

      “We did,” Tatsuya affirmed. “We're finally free.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again~ Sorry this update took a while >.> I have a severe lack in motivation and I'm a tad burnt out on writing, so updates for this story might take a while, but I'll try my best not to go terribly long without an update (if anything, I'll update every 1 or 2 weeks. I don't want to go like a month without updating O.o). Anyways, things moved rather fast in this chapter and they already escaped >.> Sorry if it seemed too fast, but I've got a lot of plans for this story and I can already tell it's gonna be long, so I gotta move it along when I can XD So they're out now...what will happen~? Find out next update :3 Thank you again for reading and super mega thank you to those who commented. Comments really motivate me and make me happy, so I really appreciate them >.


	3. Chapter 3

      The group continued deeper into the forest in silence. They were all too nervous and awkward to have a real conversation. They'd only just met each other after all. Once they'd done a decent amount of walking, Tatsuya finally stopped, exhausted from carrying the unconscious cellmate on his back.

 

      The others stopped and turned towards him. They exchanged uncomfortable glances. Finally, Tatsuya broke the ice.

      “Now that I think about it, we haven't all fully introduced ourselves, have we?” He huffed tiredly.

      “No, we haven't,” Yuichi said. “We should be far enough from the lab for now. Shall we take a small break and introduce ourselves?”

      “Sounds good to me~” The tall, not-yet-named cellmate agreed.

 

      The one known as Koki clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes before sitting down on the forest ground. The others followed his example. Tatsuya carefully set the man on his back down, leaning him against a nearby tree.

 

      Now that he looked at the cellmate, Tatsuya realized the man was fairly good looking. He hadn't ever really seen other people besides the scientists, and to be honest, none of them were even remotely good looking. Tatsuya could get lost in this person's features though. The man had gentle looking eyes, even though they were closed, a rather interestingly-shaped nose, and beautiful, curved lips. If the man hadn't become an experiment, Tatsuya was sure he would have been a model.

 

      When Tatsuya realized he was staring at the unconscious man for an awkwardly long period of time, he quickly got back to his feet. He walked over to where Yuichi was sitting and took the spot next to him. The latter smiled.

      “Now then...” Yuichi started. “Let's introduce ourselves. My name is Nakamaru Yuichi. I'm 25 years old, or so they told me. I have the the ability to stop time.”

      “I'm Taguchi Junnosuke~!” The tall cellmate sitting a bit further away from Yuichi exclaimed. “I'm 23, last time I checked. I have control over the cold~”

      “No wonder it's so fucking cold,” Koki growled. Junnosuke frowned at him, but the former ignored him and introduced himself. “Tanaka Koki. Also 23. I have power over lightning.”

      “I'm Ueda Tatsuya. I'm also about 25. I have super hearing, put simply.”

      “That could be useful,” Yuichi stated. “Can you hear the guards back at the lab.”

      “Yes. They're still scrambling around trying to regain order. We've got some distance on them as well.”

      “Thank goodness,” Yuichi sighed.

      “So what do we do now?” Junnosuke asked.

      “I don't really know...” Tatsuya sighed. “I honestly didn't plan that far...”

      “I know one thing,” Koki interrupted. “I'm sure as hell not traveling with you idiots.”

      “Tanaka-san...” Yuichi urged. “Don't be reckless...”

      “Isn't it more dangerous to travel in a large group?” Koki argued. “It would be safer to split up.”

      “There would be no one to help you if you needed it though,” Tatsuya warned.

      “I don't need anyone's help...” Koki hissed.

 

      There was silence amongst the group. Tension seemed to be building at an alarming rate and Tatsuya was waiting for Koki to crack and become violent. After all, he knew of the man's bad temper. A tired mumble broke the tension though.

      “Where...?” The previously unconscious cellmate asked. Tatsuya gasped and turned to face him, scooting a bit closer to him.

      “You're safe. We're not in the labs anymore,” he soothed.

      “Then...Where are we?” The other man asked.

      “We're in a forest outside the lab,” Yuichi answered.

      “So the scientists let us out?”

      “Not...exactly...” Junnosuke said awkwardly.

      “So...You broke out?” The cellmate asked, looking horrified.

      “We did,” Tatsuya affirmed.

      “Why did you take me with you!?”

      “Because they were hurting you...”

      “So what!? That's what they do! Why did you take me!? They're going to punish us once they catch us...” The cellmate cried.

      “They won't catch us,” Tatsuya soothed. He tried to run his fingers through the man's hair, but the latter slapped his hand away.

      “Don't touch me!”

      “Alright...I won't,” Tatsuya whispered calmly. “You shouldn't shout though. We're not entirely safe yet.”

      “That's your fault! I was taken against my will!”

      “Can you really say that?” Yuichi asked. “Would you really have chosen to stay? I know I wouldn't have...”

 

      There was another uncomfortable lull. Tatsuya wasn't used to these sorts of silences. In fact, he wasn't used to anything being silent ever. Somehow though, the tense atmosphere was drowning out all the other sounds in the world. Finally, Junnosuke spoke up.

      “Well, what's done is done~ We can't go back anymore. Why don't you tell us your name? I'm Taguchi Junnosuke. Taguchi or Junno is fine though~”

      “Junno?” Koki asked skeptically.

      “Why not? Nicknames are fun~” Junnosuke sang.

      “My name is Nakamaru Yuichi,” said man interjected before Junnosuke and Koki could get into a fight.

      “Then...How about Maru-chan?” Junnosuke asked.

      “Nakamaru is fine.”

      “This guy over there is Tanaka Koki. Just call him Koki though. That's easiest~” Junnosuke explained.

      “Don't talk for me, you bastard,” Koki growled.

      “Anyways~ Moving on,” Junnosuke insisted. “This is Ueda Tatsuya~ How about we call you Uepi?”

      “You're welcome to call me that,” Tatsuya sighed. “But Ueda is fine too. What's your name?” He asked gently to the cellmate.

      “Kamenashi...Kazuya...”

      “Then...Kame-chan?” Junnosuke asked.

      “Why do I have to have a nickname?” Kazuya whined, but there was a faint blush in his cheeks.

      “Look! You're blushing! You like that nickname, don't you~” Junnosuke joked.

      “No! It's embarrassing!”

      “I think it's nice,” Tatsuya commented. “Nicknames are a bit friendlier and easier to say, don't you think?”

      “I don't care what you think,” Kazuya snapped, glaring at Tatsuya.

 

      It hurt to be treated with disdain, but Tatsuya should have realized that it was a possibility. He was so fixated on getting Kazuya out that he didn't even take into consideration how the latter might have felt. Still, he hoped the other would forgive him sometime soon.

      “Anyways, Kamenashi-san-” Yuichi started.

      “Kame is fine,” Kazuya sighedin defeat. Tatsuya could see Junnosuke perk up at the use of his nickname.

      “Alright. Kame, what's your ability?”

      “I can see for an extended distance...And I also receive visions...small insights into the future...”

      “No way! So you're like a psychic~!” Junnosuke gasped. “That's so cool!”

      “Not really...” Kazuya sighed.

      “The visions take it out of you...” Tatsuya whispered, knowing why Kazuya wasn't ecstatic about his power.

      “Yeah...” Kazuya said curtly.

 

      There was another painful moment of silence. Tatsuya wondered if he would ever get used to this sort of feeling. He wished the group had better dynamics. Then again, that was asking for way too much, given that all of them had spent at least 10 years of their lives alone in a single cell. He was amazed they'd made it this far.

      “At any rate...” Yuichi began. “We really shouldn't stay here. Ueda, can you tell where the nearest town is?”

      “Mhm. Given that we're on foot, I'd say it's gonna take us at least a couple days to walk there.”

      “You've gotta be kidding me,” Koki groaned.

      “Why are we heading to a city?” Taguchi asked.

      “So that we can get clothes, food...Things like that,” Tatsuya answered. “Either way, it's better than staying here.”

      “I agree,” Kazuya mumbled, getting to his feet. “Should we keep going now?”

      “Yeah. The more of a lead we have, the better,” Yuichi nodded.

 

      With that, everyone stood up and trudged further into the forest, using Tatsuya's ears to make sure they were headed towards the city. No one said anything. It was going to be a very, very long journey.

 

~*~

      “How could you let them escape!?” The head scientist yelled.

      “We didn't _let_ them, sir!” Another answered. “You know how their powers are. We've been training them for something like this. They just took advantage of that!”

      “Not only that, but you knew the risk of leaving functioning equipment with Test Subject No. 64...” Another muttered.

      “No. 64?” The head scientist asked, pondering over it for a second. “Oh, that one...He always was a risk, wasn't he...”

      “He had a really bad day in testing as well,” a third scientist added. “Perhaps that helped trigger this...”

      “Either way, we need to get them back. It's a risk to our organization to have them wandering about.”

      “No worries there~” A scientist hummed. “We put trackers in all our subjects upon their arrival to the lab. We've got their exact location at all times. It's just a matter of catching them now.”

      “It will be hard to sneak up on them when they've got No. 64 and No. 73 though,” the head scientist stated.

      “No. 73? That's the one that can see for extreme distances, right?”

      “Correct. Between those two, they've got a pretty strong reconnaissance.”

      “They can only go for so long though before exhaustion overcomes them. We'll just have to wait them out.”

      “Well, get the guards on that right away,” the head scientist ordered. “The sooner they're back in their cells, the better.”

      “Yes sir!”

 

~*~

      Tatsuya and the group walked for what felt like hours. It was late into the night and eerily quiet. Even with Tatsuya's extended hearing range, it felt uncomfortably silent. It was as if the night itself was afraid to make a sound. The animals were virtually nonexistent and the wind had even died down. The group was too scared to really make any conversation too. Even though Tatsuya could tell they were far from the guards, everyone was still on edge from having just escaped.

 

      He let out a quiet sigh and looked up at the sky. The tree branches and leaves were fairly abundant, so he could only catch glimpses through them. Still, it had been far too long since he'd seen the night sky and the stars. He knew he'd seen it before because it felt familiar to him. He couldn't wait until they were out of the forest so he could see the full sky though. He barely remembered what the full view looked like.

 

      A sudden, loud noise brought him to a halt. It was distant, but it still horrified him. It was the sound of several engines starting up. The others noticed he'd stopped and they looked at him fearfully.

      “What's wrong?” Yuichi inquired.

      “They're bringing out rovers...” Tatsuya whispered.

      “What!?” Kazuya gasped.

      “They're sending out rovers to look for us...We have to move!” Tatsuya shouted.

      “Shit...” Koki growled.

 

      The group began to run, not sparing any glances back. Tatsuya's ears were enough to figure out that the rovers were quickly catching up to them. He constantly rushed the others along, but there was no way they were going to outrun several vehicles. Tatsuya's heart dropped as the engines became louder and louder. They would be overtaken soon enough.

      “We have to move faster!” He fussed.

      “We're going as fast as we can so shut up!” Koki hissed.

      “It's not enough...” Tatsuya practically sobbed.

      “This is your fault...” Kazuya whimpered.

 

      The words pierced through Tatsuya's core as a gunshot rang through the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, finally updated XD And it's a short update-.-' Sorry guys OTL Had a REALLY hard time motivating myself to write. Anyways, got a lot written today, so I put a chapter up :D And our protagonists have all been officially introduced woo~ And I left off at a cliffhanger cuz I'm a butt like that XD I'll try to update again soon >.> Also, still figuring out how to use this site, so bear with me if I mess around with chapter notes and make mistakes. No one cares right? It's just me talking after all >.>


	4. Chapter 4

      Junnosuke collapsed on the ground, letting out a yelp and clutching his thigh. Tatsuya's eyes widened in horror and he ran over to the fallen comrade. He could hear the guards rustling through the bushes nearby. He pushed Junnosuke's hand away from his leg and his heart sunk as crimson leaked onto the forest ground.

      “Taguchi's hurt,” Tatsuya called to the others. Koki took a step back while Yuichi and Kazuya seemed frozen in place.

      “Then leave him...”Koki whispered.

      “We're NOT leaving him,” Tatsuya hissed.

      “YOU'RE not leaving him,” Koki corrected. “I'm not staying here...You can all get caught if you want, but I'm leaving.”

      “Koki, wait!” Yuichi called, but the man ignored him.

 

      Yuichi sighed and rushed over to Tatsuya and Junnosuke. He glanced at the wound and gulped. He heard footsteps and noticed Kazuya hesitantly walking over to them.

      “We need to get him out of here,” Tatsuya whispered.

      “Yeah, but where...? And are we really going to be able to outrun the guards?” Yuichi asked.

      “I doubt it,” Tatsuya sighed. “They're going to surround us within a minute.”

      “Then what do we do?” Kazuya asked fearfully.

      “We fight to get away,” Tatsuya said flatly.

 

      He slung one of Junnosuke's arms over his shoulder. Yuichi instinctively grabbed Junnosuke's other arm, placed it over his shoulders, and helped Tatsuya lift him off the ground. Tatsuya smiled sadly at Kazuya.

      “You're welcome to leave too, if you want. We won't force you to stay behind...”

      “I'll stay,” Kazuya answered immediately.

      “Then...Could you find a safe place for us to hide?” Yuichi asked.

      “Yeah!”

 

      Kazuya glanced around for a few seconds, then waved his hand for them to follow. They were moving far too slow supporting Junnosuke, but there was no way Tatsuya was going to leave him behind. He'd already grown attached to his joyful, annoying cellmate.

 

      Soon, guards rushed through the bushes and trees into plain sight. There was no way they would escape. Their freedom was ending far too quickly. Tatsuya regretted bringing them all along on his crazy plan.

 

      A guard grabbed Tatsuya's free arm and tried to pull him away. Tatsuya resisted, trying to twist his arm away from the guard, but he wasn't able to do much since he was trying to balance an injured person. The guard was thankfully knocked away seconds later by Kazuya.

 

      Tatsuya glanced at him, a mixture of surprise and gratefulness on his face. Kazuya simply shrugged and rushed forward, continuing to lead them to safety. His efforts were in vain though, and soon enough, 3 guards had grabbed him and pinned him to the ground, to Tatsuya's dismay. He'd never wished for a power that could actually fight back more than he did now.

 

      More guards swarmed around them, grabbing them roughly. Tatsuya and Nakamaru continued to support Junnosuke, despite the many men thrashing at them. Suddenly, the air around them grew cold.

 

      Tatsuya saw his own breath before him and gasped, realizing it was the work of none other than Junnosuke. He glanced at the injured man and noticed he was breathing harshly and shaking. Tatsuya tightened his grip on him.

      “Taguchi, it's ok...” He whispered, trying to calm the man.

 

      He heard more guards in the distance and gulped, knowing their struggle was in vain. They'd been caught.

      “It's gonna be ok...”

      “No...No...” Junnosuke whimpered.

      “Calm down...It's ok...”

      “NO!”

 

      Tatsuya flinched as shards of ice shot out in all directions from Junnosuke. When Tatsuya dared to open his eyes, everything was covered in frost. The guards that had attacked and grabbed them were on the ground, gripping at shards of ice that had pierced their bodies.

 

      Tatsuya gulped back bile. Even though he'd just wished for the power to fight back, seeing so many injured people was too much for him. They'd never injured anyone this badly at the labs before. At least, Tatsuya hadn't. He'd never seen blood spilling out of a person like this before.

 

      Kazuya shoved off the injured, unconscious guards who'd been holding him down previously. He jumped to his feet and ran over to the others. He couldn't help but wrap his arms around himself as an attempt to keep warm due to the sudden drop in temperature.

      “We need to go! This is the perfect opportunity to get away!” Kazuya urged.

      “Yeah...” Tatsuya mumbled.

 

      Yuichi was completely speechless. Kazuya sighed and pushed Tatsuya's shoulder.

      “Come on! Don't let this go to waste.”

 

      Yuichi and Tatsuya regained their composure and continued to walk forward, dragging the now unconscious Junnosuke with them. They didn't spare any of the guards a glance. They just wanted to be away from the whole scene.

 

      The group walked far enough for the guards to be a decent distance away. Tatsuya and Yuichi then carefully set Junnosuke down on the ground, leaning him against a tree. Tatsuya immediately began tending to Junnosuke's leg. He tore some of his shirt off and did his best to tourniquet the wound. He wished there was water nearby so he could clean it, but their resources were severely limited.

 

      Kazuya knelt beside Tatsuya, watching him work. Every once in a while, he'd provide an extra hand when needed. Yuichi paced back and forth, constantly watching their surroundings in case more guards came.

 

      Everyone's hearts skipped a beat when rustling was heard. The only figure that appeared was Koki though. Kazuya glared at him, clicking his tongue.

      “So you guys actually made it out...” Koki started.

      “No thanks to you,” Kazuya snapped.

      “Kame, calm down...” Yuichi soothed. “Koki was just as scared as we are, even if he won't admit it.”

      “As if. I just don't want to be dragged down.”

      “Well, regardless of your reason, you're here now...” Yuichi sighed.

      “Not for long...” Koki mumbled.

      “I wouldn't leave if I were you,” Yuichi suddenly started. “If you plan to keep running from them, that is.”

      “What do you mean?” Tatsuya asked, looking up from Junnosuke's wound.

      “They knew exactly where we were. They headed directly at us. They never stopped to search. Am I right?”

      “Yeah...Now that you mention it, they drove straight at us...even though they couldn't see us until they were feet away from us because of all the trees...” Tatsuya muttered.

      “They were tracking us.”

      “Tracking!?” Kazuya practically squeaked. Tatsuya had to bite his lip in order to not smile at the sudden, unexpected cute side of the prickly man.

      “Yep. There's probably chips inside of us...so they can tell our exact location.”

      “It makes sense...” Tatsuya groaned.

      “Those bastards...” Koki growled.

      “Lucky for you, I know how to stop pretty much any electronic device,” Yuichi stated confidently.

      “Then do it,” Koki commanded.

      “I will, but first, I think we need to talk about some things.”

      “We don't have time! They're gonna track us again!” Koki yelled.

      “If I'm going to stop your chip, you need to promise to stay with us and help us.”

      “You can't be serious...”

      “I am. I agree with Ueda that we need to stick together. Besides, if I'm going to do this for you, I want you to stay with us and help us instead of stabbing us in the back. Is that too much to ask?”

      “It is when you're trying to drag around an injured person! We're running for our lives! It's survival of the fittest!”

      “Then you can survive with your chip.” Yuichi answered flatly. Koki growled and pulled at his hair.

      “Fine! I'll help you, now stop the chip!”

 

      Yuichi sighed tiredly and walked over to Koki. He grabbed the back of Koki's neck and felt around. After a while, he smiled and nodded.

      “Found it~ I wasn't sure exactly where they were, but looks like it's the back of the neck after all.”

      “So did you stop it?” Koki asked. Yuichi grimaced at him.

      “I did now,” he sighed.

      “And you're sure it's stopped?”

      “Trust me. Part of my training was to stop machines in their tracks.”

      “You could have stopped the rovers then...” Koki groaned.

      “If I'd just pranced up to one and touched it, yes,” Yuichi snapped. “I need to have some sort of contact with the machine so I can access the circuits and stop them from functioning.”

      “And they're permanently stopped?” Kazuya asked curiously.

      “Machines, yes. Humans are the ones that aren't so easily stopped...” Yuichi said darkly.

 

      No one said anything. Tatsuya noticed Kazuya gulp nervously at Yuichi's words. He wasn't terribly concerned by them. He trusted Yuichi and at that moment, he had more important things to worry about, like taking care of Junnosuke.

 

      Yuichi took that as an initiative to walk over to the others and gently press his fingers against their necks. Tatsuya didn't feel a thing as Yuichi deactivated the chip. After Yuichi deactivated his own chip and Kazuya's, he knelt next to Junnosuke and carefully placed his fingers on the back unconscious man's neck. He then turned to Tatsuya.

      “How's his leg?”

      “The bullets still in it I think,” Tatsuya sighed. “I made a tourniquet, but there's not much else I can do for him...”

      “How close are we to the city?”

      “If we walk all night, we might be able to make it by morning.”

      “Do you think he'll last that long?” Kazuya asked.

      “Do you think _we'll_ last that long?” Koki groaned.

      “I've pulled plenty of all-nighters before,” Tatsuya answered. “A little sleep deprivation won't kill you. As for Taguchi...We're just going to have to hope for the best.”

      “So are you going to drag him along like before? It'll take forever,” Koki complained.

      “No, I'll carry him...” Tatsuya muttered.

 

      He grabbed Junnosuke's arms and slid them over his shoulders. He gently grabbed his thighs, being extremely mindful of the wound, and hoisted the man onto his back. It looked a bit comedic since Tatsuya was a good amount shorter than Junnosuke, but there wasn't much of a choice. He looked around at everyone and offered a tired, sad smile.

      “And now we walk?” Yuichi asked.

      “And now we walk...” Tatsuya affirmed.

 

~*~

      “THEY GOT AWAY!?” The head scientist shouted. “HOW COULD YOU LET THEM GET AWAY!?”

      “Test Subject No. 89 seems to have injured the guards we sent out, sir...In addition, Subject No. 65 seems to have stopped their chips, so we can't track them.”

      “Shit...They're a lot smarter than we gave them credit for...”

      “We are training them for this sort of thing, sir...”

      “I'm aware of that! Any other reports?”

      “One of the guards managed to injure No. 89. That should slow them down.”

      “Good, good...They'll need to head into the city to get him proper aid...”

      “You don't think they'd just leave him?” A scientist asked skeptically. The head scientist laughed.

      “You don't know No. 64...He's constantly been aching for a companion. They all have. They won't leave him behind that easily.”

      “So...Do we set up a search party in the city?”

      “No. That would be too obvious. We'd blow our cover.”

      “So then what?”

      “We have allies in the police. We'll work with them.”

      “With the police...? Wait, are you thinking of having the police do the dirty work for us?”

      “No. 64 has a criminal record, after all. I know a few higher-ups who'd be willing to manipulate the information and make him a wanted criminal again.”

      “What about the others?”

      “Pass them off as accomplices.”

      “But then, won't the police deal with them?”

      “Initially, yes, but they'd be handed over to us once everything was said and done. We have to keep our organization as hidden as possible. We aren't ready to reveal ourselves yet...”

      “Yes sir...”

      “I'll go make the call. In the meantime, work on tidying up the mess here that our subjects created.”

      “Yes sir!”

 

      The head scientists left the area and headed to his office. When he was there, he shut the door, locking it behind him. He went over to the desk and pulled out his phone. He dialed a number and waited for the line to connect. When he heard the other line pick up, a sinister smile worked its way onto his face before his voice echoed through the room.

      “I have a favor to ask of you...”

 

~*~

      Tatsuya was exhausted from carrying Junnosuke. He hadn't eaten since the afternoon as well, and dizziness was starting to kick in. Still, they were almost to the city. He could hear it. They couldn't give up now.

 

      He adjusted Junnosuke on his back, shivering a bit. The man really did make things colder. It worried Tatsuya since he couldn't get a grasp on Junnosuke's condition due to his abnormal body temperature. He could only rush them along and get them to the city as soon as possible.

 

      As dawn came and the sun began to slowly shine through the leaves of the forest, the sounds of vehicles, industrial noises, and life filled all of their ears. They walked a bit further and the city came into view. They'd made it at last.

 

      Tatsuya wearily set Junnosuke down next to a tree and glanced at the city. The others stopped beside him, questioning him with their eyes. He rubbed his face, bidding the weariness away, and smiled at them.

      “We made it...”

      “Now what?” Yuichi asked.

      “I'm going to take Kame and scope out the city,” Tatsuya explained.

      “What?” Kazuya asked.

      “You're the best for scoping out places, aren't you? I can help as well.”

      “I guess...”

      “It's best not to drag Taguchi all around town in his condition. We'll look ahead and come back when we find a place that will take care of him.”

      “And what do we do until then?” Koki grumbled.

      “You're going to stay here and take care of Taguchi.”

      “Great...” Koki huffed.

 

      Tatsuya ignored him and turned to Yuichi. He put his hand on the other's shoulder and squeezed it firmly.

      “Take care of him.”

      “I will. Be safe,” Yuichi said, placing his own hand on Tatsuya's shoulder.

      “We will. We'll be back soon.”

 

      Yuichi nodded and let go. Tatsuya did the same and looked at Kazuya. The latter sighed and nodded, walking over to him. Together, they rushed towards the city, nerves uncomfortably high. Things definitely weren't going to be easy from here on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at me updating twice in 1 week >.> Watch it never happen again OTL Anyways, we have our first injury...I know I marked this for graphic depictions of violence, but I don't know what counts as graphic...Like this wasn't 'graphic' to me, but I do plan to do further torments to the men...so I figured better safe than sorry >.> Oh! And now we know most of their lab numbers. Ueda is 64, Nakamaru is 65, which means Koki is 63 since he was on the other side of Ueda's cell, Kame is 73, and Taguchi is 89. I pulled those completely out of my rear-.-' But just for the sake of you guys not getting confused with the scientists referring to them as numbers, those are their numbers lol XD Anyways, that's all >.> See you guys next time~


	5. Chapter 5

      The head scientist stared out of the window in his office. He'd just gotten off the phone with the head of the police branch in the nearest city. They'd been partners of sorts for a majority of the time the laboratory was functioning. In exchange for taking some of the prisoners and excess 'garbage' off of the police's shoulders, the police would turn a blind eye to the laboratory's activities.

 

      This time, the police would help them out. They would tamper with Ueda Tatsuya's criminal records. He'd been arrested over 10 years ago and his sentence had long ended. He'd been set free and immediately gone missing in the police's official records. In truth, he'd been transferred to the lab shortly after being arrested.

 

      The head police officer agreed to change Tatsuya's records, making it seem as if he had been in prison up until recently, when he 'broke out of jail with 4 other accomplices.' He'd long since been forgotten, so no one would notice the slight shift in documentation. Because of this change, Tatsuya and the others would be wanted as a runaway prisoners. This was the easiest and most efficient way to round them up.

 

      It would take longer to forge the other runaway prisoners' information since they were never criminals and thus, never in the records. Ueda's warrant would go up through the city immediately though. That would undoubtedly put the group of runaways in a tight position.

 

~*~

      Kazuya and Tatsuya walked through the city, glancing around warily. The city was a lot more lively than they would have imagined. Having been isolated in a single cell for as long as they could remember, it was strange to see all the people walking around, talking and interacting.

 

      The buildings were tall. Most of the ads were projected through holograms. There were billboards throughout the city on which news and various updates were projected. Overall, the city had a sleek and advanced sort of feeling to it, something the laboratory had lacked.

 

      Kazuya was lagging behind Tatusya, trying to digest all the lights and glamor of the city. This was one time where he wished his vision wasn't as good as it was. He looked at Tatsuya, who seemed to be holding his head, as if it were aching. Maybe they were both having a rough time. He quickened his pace and caught up to Tatsuya.

      “So what's the plan?” He asked.

      “Find a clinic of some sort that will take Taguchi in...preferably without asking too many questions and demanding a price...”

      “You honestly think we'll find a place like that?”

      “No...but if we look at the smaller clinics, we might find somewhere that will treat him and allow us to pay a little later...”

      “But we don't have any money...”

      “I'll figure something out...” Tatsuya sighed.

      “Uh-huh...”

      “C'mon. Let's go. We're running out of time...”

      “Yeah, yeah...”

 

      They continued through the city, looking for smaller clinics and praying one would be merciful enough to take them in.

 

~*~

      Koki clicked his tongue as he paced back and forth. Yuichi watched him, getting more and more anxious. He glanced at Junnosuke, who still seemed to be unconscious. He heard a loud thud and jumped, looking at Koki. The latter had punched a nearby tree.

      “How the hell do we know they didn't leave us with this dead weight?” Koki hissed.

      “Koki! Calm down. They didn't leave us. They just went to look for help.”

      “You honestly trust them!?”

      “I trust them more than you!” Yuichi snapped. Koki laughed bitterly.

      “So then why did you keep me around?”

      “Because we need someone who can go on the offensive while Taguchi's down.”

      “So it was a practical decision, eh?”

      “What other kind of decision would it be? Your attitude is way too foul to simply want you around.”

      “At least I'm still useful! Why do you keep this guy around!?” Koki fussed, pointing at Junnosuke.

      “Because he's a good guy! And I want to stick together...I want to believe in everyone! But you're making it REALLY hard!”

      “Whatever,” Koki scoffed. “If they don't return soon, I'm leaving. I'm not sticking around with this loser...He's only going to slow us down anyways...”

 

      Yuichi sighed, rubbing his temples. He really hated dealing with Koki. He glanced towards the city, wishing with every fiber of his being that Tatsuya and Kazuya would return soon.

 

~*~

      Kazuya stepped into yet another small clinic, his resolve completely diminished. He was beginning to think there was no hope for them. He sighed heavily, rubbing his eyes. He was exhausted and just wanted to sleep.

      “Is something wrong?” A middle-aged man asked him. Kazuya jumped and turned to him.

      “N-No...I mean, yes...I...Um...”

      “What's the problem?” The man asked gently. He looked Kazuya up and down, taking in the stark, white clothing splattered with dirt and the exhaustion seeping from the his body.

      “M-My friend...He, um...He was shot in the leg...We're looking for somewhere that would take care of him...”

      “Where is your friend?”

      “He's outside the city...It happened in the forest nearby...”

      “Were you hunting?”

      “S-Something like that...” Kazuya mumbled.

      “Why didn't you bring him here with you?”

      “W-Well, we've never been to this city before...and we wanted to look for a place that would take him...we're going to get him and bring him when we find one...”

      “Not the most efficient plan for your friend. What if his condition takes a critical turn?”

      “I'm sorry...” Kazuya mumbled.

      “Don't apologize. Just bring your friend. We'll take him. I'm sure other places would too...”

      “W-Well...the thing is...We um...We can't pay you right away...we're a bit broke...”

      “Then how did you get ammunition and such for hunting...”

      “U-Uh...W-We...”

      “It doesn't matter. Bring him here. His life is most important right now.”

      “R-Really?”

      “Yes. Go!”

      “Thank you!”

 

      The man nodded and Kazuya rushed out of the clinic. When he was outside, he glanced around, looking for Tatsuya to tell him the news. His eye caught the nearby billboard and he walked over, looking at it more closely. His heart sunk as a familiar face appeared on the board.

      “What did they say?” Tatsuya asked.

 

      Kazuya said nothing and continued to look at the billboard. Tatsuya looked at him, confused.

      “Kame? Hello?”

      “You're a criminal...” Kazuya whispered.

      “What?”

 

~*~

_       A small boy laid under the cover of a cardboard box in the slum of the city. He was shivering nonstop, trying in vain to cower from the rain that was soaking his poor excuse of a home to the core. He glanced around, looking for two figures, calling for them nonstop. _

 

_Finally, the two figures emerged and walked over to him. One put their hand on his forehead, brushing the wet hair from his face. A sniffle came from them. The boy couldn't understand why, but the person was crying._

_“His fever's so high...” The figure whispered to the other. It was the voice of a woman._

_“He won't make it through the night...” A man's voice explained._

_“But still!”_

_“We have no choice! We can't take him with us anyways. The lodging is only for adults who can work...”_

_“But to leave him...It's too sad...”_

_“We have to.”_

 

_The female nodded, wiping water from her face. The boy couldn't tell if it was a tear or a raindrop. He could hardly register the meaning of what they were saying. The female retracted her hand, kissing him on the forehead. The man rubbed his shoulder gently._

 

_After, the two got to their feet and took a step back. The boy whimpered a bit, wanting them to stay. He was beginning to realize just what was happening. The figures continued to step away from him, eventually turning their backs to him. He cried out for them, using the last of his energy to reach for them with his hand._

_“Mama! Papa! Don't leave me!”_

 

_The figures never turned back to look at him._

 

~*~

      “Don't leave me...” Junnosuke mumbled, tears running down his cheeks.

 

      He glanced around, taking in his settings. His vision was blurry, but he could still make out trees. He looked at his leg and winced as he saw red. He quickly looked away. Soon, two voices caught his attention.

      “How the hell do we know they didn't leave us with this dead weight?” It was Koki's voice.

 

      The words stabbed Junnosuke like a knife. He glanced to the side and noticed two figures. Where had the other two gone? Why had they left?

      “At least I'm still useful! Why do you keep this guy around!?”

 

      Junnosuke's heart rate quickened. He was useless? He didn't like that word. His life had always depended on being useful to someone. Would he be thrown out again? Again...? Had he been thrown out before? Or was that just a dream?

      “If they don't show up again soon, I'm leaving. I'm not sticking around with this loser...He's only going to slow us down anyways...”

 

      No...Don't leave. Junnosuke would crawl along the ground if it meant they would stay with him. He just didn't want to be alone. Never again. He'd finally found people, he didn't want to lose them. But did they want him? It didn't sound like it.

 

      Junnosuke bit his lip as more tears slid down his cheeks silently. The air around him was becoming suffocating and icy. He tried to calm down, but nothing seemed to work. He let out a sigh, and his breath was vapor before him.

 

      He was losing control.

 

~*~

      “You're a criminal...”

      “What?”

      “Look! You're wanted! Your face is on the board!” Kazuya snapped, pointing at the projection. Tatsuya looked at it curiously, not understanding what was going on.

      “Why...? Was it because we broke out of the labs?”

      “It's says you're wanted for breaking out of jail while serving time for hacking into top secret information and threatening to exploit it.”

      “What!? I never did that...”

      “How do you know!? You don't have any memories before the lab, do you?”

      “N-No...but still!”

      “You had to hack into the security to get us out of there, right? Sounds like this is pretty legit to me...”

      “But still! How did I end up in the lab instead of in prison!? It makes no sense for this to pop up, especially now of all times!”

      “Whatever the case, they've stated you're moving with 4 accomplices! You've turned us into criminals!”

      “Calm down! Now isn't the time to freak out about this!”

      “Whatever! When will you stop dragging me down with you...” Kazuya grumbled.

 

      He walked past Tatsuya, roughly bumping into the latter's shoulder. Tatsuya stared in disbelief at the wanted sign. Had he really been a hacker? Was that why computers and electronics came naturally to him?

      “Come on,” Kazuya snapped. “Taguchi needs us, remember?”

      “Yeah...” Tatsuya sighed.

 

      He took one last glance at the board before rushing off after Kazuya. This was definitely going to make things much harder for them in the long run.

 

~*~

      Koki had just about had it with waiting around. He considered Tatsuya and Kazuya long-gone. It was wasting his time to stay there with the other two. They didn't like him and he sure as hell hated them, so what was the point of even sticking around?

 

      Right when he was about to leave, someone called out to them. He turned around and spotted Kazuya and Ueda running towards them.

      “They really came back...” Koki mumbled.

      “See?” Yuichi sighed.

      “I wouldn't have...”

      “And that's why we didn't send you.”

 

      Kazuya and Tatsuya stopped before them, catching their breath. They'd run most of the way over, not wanting to make Junnosuke wait much longer.

      “Did you find somewhere to take him?” Yuichi asked.

      “Yeah...More or less,” Kazuya said between pants. “Found some other things out too...” He said a bit more darkly.

      “We'll talk about that later,” Tatsuya interrupted. “How's Taguchi?”

      “He's over there,” Yuichi stated, motioning to the injured man.

 

      Tatsuya walked over to him and knelt in front of him. Junnosuke's head was leaning downwards, so Tatsuya couldn't see his face. He reached out to gently lift it, but he gasped upon making contact with Junnosuke's skin.

      “He's ice cold...”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back again >.> So, we caught a glimpse into Taguchi's past...and I left off at a cliffhanger cuz that's what I do best >.> Sorry for not updating sooner. I had planned to, but a couple things happened. My chair at my desk is super painful so I don't like to sit at my computer and actually write...but I finally stole my laptop back so now I can write on my bed. Then my dad decided to remodel the lower level of the house, ya know, 2 weeks before my summer break ends and I had offered to help like...3 or 4 weeks ago when I still HAD time to help, but whatever-.-' So I've been painting for hours the past few days...and I will be today too T~T Then I'm going to CA next week, so we'll see if I get an update up then. THEN I start school again T~T Soooo, updates might be sparse from here on, but I'd LIKE to update at least once a week (which is kinda what I've already been doing because life hates me-.-'). Anyways, that's just a general heads up I guess. I'll shut up now >.> Hope you enjoyed^^


	6. Chapter 6

      “What did you say?” Yuichi gasped.

      “He's ice cold...” Tatsuya reiterated.

      “Why!?”

      “How would I know? His power is ice, isn't it?”

      “Yeah...but why would it be freezing him?”

 

      Tatsuya lifted Junnosuke's face up. The latter was conscious and shivering, but didn't seem to register anything around him. Tears streaked from his eyes and froze halfway down his cheeks. Tatsuya gulped.

 

      He grabbed one of Junnosuke's wrists and checked for a pulse. His heart sunk when he felt how weak and slow it was. He quickly turned his attention to the wound on Junnosuke's leg. The blood was beginning to freeze around the wound. Tatsuya cursed under his breath.

      “We need to warm him up. He's too cold.”

      “Shouldn't he be used to the cold?” Koki asked.

      “Well, obviously extreme amounts still affect him,” Tatsuya snapped.

      “So let it,” Koki sighed. “He's doing it himself.”

      “What's wrong with you!?” Kazuya snapped. “You don't care at all that he's dying!?”

      “Not really...Should I?”

      “You're horrible...” Kazuya muttered.

      “We don't have time for this!” Tatsuya fussed. “We need to warm him up and try and get his powers back under control.”

      “How do we do that?” Kazuya asked, looking at Tatsuya desperately.

      “For now...You and Nakamaru should get close to him...we're going to have to rely on body warmth...It'll be cold, I'm sorry.”

      “Got it,” Nakamaru nodded, pressing himself against Junnosuke's side and rubbing his hands up and down the man's arms. Kazuya began to do the same.

 

      Tatsuya cupped Junnosuke's cheeks in his hands, looking the boy gently in the eyes. They were full of fear and pain. Tatsuya couldn't even begin to understand what was happening. That is, until Junnosuke spoke up.

      “Don't leave me...” He whimpered.

      “What? Tatsuya asked.

      “Don't leave me...”

      “No one's leaving you...Where would you get an idea like that?” Tatsuya soothed. Yuichi's eyes widened.

      “Earlier, Koki and I were arguing over it...”

      “Over what?”

      “Leaving Taguchi...He must have been awake...”

      “Why would you even think about that!?” Kazuya snapped.

      “I was against it, ok! It wasn't me who brought it up!” Yuichi defended. Kazuya glared at Koki.

      “So it was your fault...”

      “Kame!” Tatsuya urged. “Now's not the time for that. We're trying to calm Taguchi down, not get worked up ourselves, ok?”

      “Right...Sorry...”

 

      Tatsuya sighed and leaned closer to Junnosuke, looking him square in the eyes. He wasn't used to being this close and personal with people, but he felt Junnosuke needed this kind of treatment. He needed to feel that they were with him.

      “Taguchi, listen to me...We're all right here. No one is leaving you...So you need to calm down and get your power under control.”

      “You left...”

      “But we came back. We both came back for you. We went to get you help. We're on your side, Taguchi...”

      “Please don't leave me...” Junnosuke whispered. Tatsuya sighed, realizing he wasn't getting through to the panicked boy. Junnosuke then said something else that caused all of the group to look at him in confusion.

      “Don't leave me alone...Mama...Papa...”

 

      Tatsuya stared at the man, dumbfounded. He had no idea where the concept of parents came from. They certainly hadn't mentioned it.

      “Think he's having a flashback or something?” Kazuya asked quietly.

      “Flashback?” Tatsuya asked.

      “Think about it...do you remember your parents? Or anything about your past?”

      “Not really...”

      “Neither do I, but sometimes I see flashes...What if he saw something? What if that's what finally got him spiraling out of control?”

      “It sounds likely,” Yuichi agreed.

      “So how do we get him back in control?” Tatsuya groaned.

      “I don't know...Keep talking to him?”

      “I'll try...”

 

      Tatsuya took a deep breath and began to sooth Taguchi once again. His efforts were beginning to feel useless though. The injured man didn't seem to be hearing anything he said. In fact, he seemed to be getting more desperate, and the air seemed to be getting colder around them.

 

      Finally Tatsuya swooped towards Taguchi, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him close. He shivered as his body met with the other's icy one, but he refused to be faltered. He patted the back of Junnosuke's head, probably rather awkwardly, but as comfortingly as he could.

      “It's alright Taguchi. We're here. We're not going anywhere. We won't leave you alone again, alright?” He whispered into the man's ear. “You can trust us. I promise.”

 

      Tatsuya heard a few muffled cries from the man in his arms, then felt two, cold arms wrap around him. He was shivering nonstop too at that point, but it couldn't be helped. He was finally making progress and he didn't want that to change. He continued to whisper comforting words into Junnosuke's ear, feeling more and more reassured as the man began to warm up slightly.

 

      Koki had been standing to the side, watching the entire ordeal take place. He hadn't expected the words he'd said to send the injured man into such a state of disarray. In all honesty, had he known, he probably would have chosen his words more wisely. He had a temper and he acted like a tough asshole, but he didn't actually  _ like  _ to hurt people, despite how well he seemed to do it.

 

      Junnosuke's pleas really struck him though. It brought back some sense of nostalgia. It was like Koki had heard the words before, but he couldn't figure out exactly where. After one more plea from the crying, injured man, a voice rang through Koki's head.

_“Onii-chan, don't go! Don't leave!”_

 

      Koki gripped his head and hissed. He had no idea who or what that was, but it definitely didn't sit well with him. Before he could get too lost in trying to dig up a memory that didn't seem to exist, Taguchi started sobbing harshly into Ueda's chest. Despite Junnosuke's power being ice, watching the ordeal seemed to melt Koki's cold exterior.

 

      Koki sighed and walked around, looking for decent-sized branches, picking them up off the ground and breaking them off trees.

      “What are you doing?” Yuichi asked.

      “Getting some things to light on fire.”

      “Fire?”

      “Yeah. My power is lightning, remember? Lightning can start fires, so...”

      “Well yeah...but is that really a good idea?”

      “I can control it, don't worry. Besides, Taguchi needs to warm up quickly, right? I'm pretty sure fire is hotter than you idiots.”

      “Koki...” Yuichi started, a hint of irritation in his voice.

      “Thank you,” Tatsuya interrupted.

 

      Koki nodded slightly and gathered a few more sticks. After, he snapped his fingers, creating a small spark. It danced its way over to the wood and a small flame started. Koki walked over to Taguchi and held the burning ends of the wood towards him.

      “You're just gonna hold it?” Tatsuya asked.

      “Better me get burned than set the entire forest on fire, right?” Koki sighed. “I can more or less control fire too...it  _ is _ kinda a similar element to lightning...It's destructive if nothing else...”

      “Thank you again,” Tatsuya said quietly, rubbing Junnosuke's back. The latter was still shivering in his arms.

      “Yeah...It's my fault anyways...” Koki mumbled.

 

      Tatsuya smiled at him and continued to soothe Junnosuke. Koki seemed to be pretty bottled up when it came to his emotions, but Tatsuya figured he wasn't that bad of a guy. He was definitely helping Junnosuke. Ever since the man had broken down crying in Tatsuya's arms, the cold atmosphere had begun to disperse. Adding in Koki's fire, Taguchi was finally starting to feel like a human again instead of an ice cube.

 

      After a long effort of thawing the frozen boy, he finally felt normal again. He was still in really bad shape though, so they wouldn't be able to relax just yet. The next trial was going to be getting him to the city to be treated.

 

      Tatsuya unwrapped his arms from Junnosuke, who seemed to have cried himself unconscious. He glanced at the other three and sighed before giving them a tired smile.

      “We need to get him to the city now. He's lost a lot of blood and with that recent fit, who knows what condition he's in...”

      “Yeah. Think it's safe to move him?” Yuichi asked.

      “Should be.”

      “I'll go too,” Koki said quietly, not meeting their eyes.

      “Do you honestly think that's a good idea?” Kazuya asked. “It's your fault this happened in the first place.”

      “Kame, stop. Let's not point fingers, ok? I'm sure Koki didn't mean for this to happen,” Tatsuya intervened.

      “But still...” Kazuya huffed. “Why are you so intent on sticking with us anyways? Weren't you trying to ditch us earlier?”

      “I was, yeah...” Koki answered. “But things are different now...”

      “How so?” Yuichi asked.

      “Well...He reminds me of someone...”

      “Who?”

      “I don't know...But maybe if I stick around him, I'll remember...”

      “So you're using him?” Yuichi sighed.

      “Do you have to make me sound like a bad guy? Look, I know it was my fault and I'm sorry...” The last bit was much quieter. “I wanna make sure he's ok...I won't talk about leaving people behind anymore, ok? So get off my case...”

      “Really?” Kazuya asked.

      “Yes...”

      “Then make sure Taguchi hears that when he's better.”

      “Y-Yeah...”

      “Well, good to know you're all on relatively decent terms,” Tatsuya sighed. “I'll worry a lot less about you guys in the city.”

      “You sound as if you aren't coming with us...” Yuichi said, rather confused. Kazuya's eyes met with Tatsuya's and the latter noticed the accusatory glance and sighed.

      “I can't go with you into the city...It'll be too dangerous for everyone.”

      “Why?” Koki asked.

      “He's been branded a criminal,” Kazuya answered. “For hacking and abusing top secret information.”

      “No way...” Yuichi gasped. “Is this because you hacked our way out of the lab?”

      “I don't know,” Tatsuya sighed. I don't remember anything from before the lab...but hacking and technology comes easily to me...Maybe it  _ was _ something I did...”

      “That complicates things...” Yuichi sighed. “Right when we were finally becoming a team...”

      “I'm sorry...”

      “It's not your fault,” Yuichi comforted. “What will you do while we're in the city though?”

      “Hide...Keep an ear on you guys to make sure you're ok...Try and figure out how to get some money so that we don't become actual criminals out of desperation...”

      “That does sound like a good idea...You'll be ok on your own?”

      “Of course,” Tatsuya answered. Kazuya let out a dramatic grown and scratched his head rapidly, flinging his hair about.

      “If only my stupid visions had warned me about this nightmare...”

      “You had one the day we escaped, didn't you?” Tatsuya asked. Kazuya nodded. “What was it about?”

 

      Kazuya took a deep breath and looked up towards the sky, which was mostly covered because of all the branches from the trees.

      “Trees...” He answered. “Lots...of fucking...trees...”

 

      Tatsuya struggled to keep his laughter in. Of all the visions to have, that had to be the most useless, yet accurate vision ever. Quiet laughter sounded from in front of him and grew in volume. Tatsuya realized it was Junnosuke, who'd woken up again.

 

      As Junnosuke's laughter began to border on hysterical, the other 4 joined in. It was their first time laughing with another person in a long time, and it was a feeling Tatsuya didn't want to forget. They laughed for quite a long time, until their sides hurt.

 

      When they'd finally calmed down, Nakamaru hoisted Junnosuke onto his back, with Kazuya and Koki's assistance. When the injured man was properly situated, the group turned towards Tatsuya.

      “You're really gonna be ok on your own?” Yuichi asked.

      “I'll be fine. It's not the first time I've been alone,” Tatsuya answered bitterly, a fake smile coming to rest on his lips. “You guys should go though. Taguchi is first priority, not me.”

      “Right...Take care of yourself.”

      “We'll keep in touch,” Tatsuya replied.

 

      Yuichi and Koki turned and began walking towards the city. Kazuya lingered behind just a little longer, his gaze locked with Tatsuya's and emotions unreadable. Finally, without saying anything, he turned and rushed to catch up with the others.

 

      Tatsuya let out a quiet sigh as he watched them go. He was all alone again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone. It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm really sorry for not updating in 3 weeks...but a lot's been going on. I went to CA and had NO time to update, then I got home and started school 2 days later. And school had its ups and downs...Then yesterday, we put my dog down, so this week has mostly been me crying and being an emotional train wreck. So writing really wasn't my top priority. But I feel really bad. I'm gonna try REALLY hard to update once a week, but please forgive me if I go a couple weeks. Sadly, I have a life that loves to beat me up-.-'


	7. Chapter 7

      Kazuya lead the group into the city and to the small clinic he and Tatsuya had visited earlier. He held the door open so Yuichi could get inside with Junnosuke, then went in himself, holding the door long enough for Koki to grab it and enter after him.

 

      When they were inside, there wasn't anyone there to greet them. It was a small, family-owned clinic, so it was understandable. There was a bell on the front counter, so Kazuya rushed over and rang it profusely. Finally, a woman stepped through a side door. The instant she met eyes with them, her jaw dropped and she gasped.

      “Dear!” She called towards the door she'd just come out of. “Dear! Come quickly! This is serious!”

 

      The doctor Kazuya had talked to earlier rushed out. He took one look at Junnosuke on Yuichi's back and heaved a sigh.

      “Bring him this way,” he said sternly, motioning to the door he'd just come from.

 

      Yuichi complied and followed the man down a hallway. There were various small rooms lining the hall, which he figured were used for patients and examinations. The doctor lead him to a certain room that seemed to be set up for surgery. He motioned for Yuichi to lay Junnosuke down on the bed in the center of the room. After, a couple nurses rushed in, wearing medical masks. Yuichi took that as a signal to leave the room.

 

      He rushed back down the hall and out the door, into the main room where Kazuya and Koki were waiting. They unconsciously huddled together, scared and worried. The woman who'd called for the doctor walked over to them carefully.

      “Would you like to sit down and rest? Perhaps drink some tea to calm down?”

      “T-That would be great,” Yuichi answered awkwardly.

 

      She lead them to the other side of the house, through another door. This part of the building was where the family's living space was. She motioned them to sit at a dining table, then went into the small kitchen to begin preparing the tea. The three men sat there silently, not entirely sure how to respond to their settings. They were all extremely on edge.

 

      The woman came back shortly with a tray. She set tea cups in front of each of them and placed a plate of cookies in the center of the table. Kazuya timidly reached for the first cookie and took a bite, almost crying as the taste filled his mouth. He hadn't had food this tasty in ages. He took a sip of tea and relished the warm feeling as it traveled down his throat. The other two soon began to eat after he did.

 

      The woman didn't fail to notice how they were reacting, as well as how scared they were. She didn't know what had happened to them, but her heart hurt seeing them in this state. Their disheveled appearances didn't sneak past her attention either. Whatever these men had been through, it had certainly been hell.

 

      The plate of cookies disappeared completely in no time. The woman went back into the kitchen and brought out some sandwiches upon exiting. She could tell the men were famished, and her maternal instincts were kicking in.

 

      After what seemed like an eternity, her husband walked through the entrance to the dining area. He looked tired and almost irritable. Kazuya gulped, hoping the man wouldn't blow up at them. The last thing they needed was to be yelled at. Or worse, turned in. Instead, the man just sat down at the table with them, giving them a stern look.

      “Your friend was in horrible shape. Did you keep him in a freezer or something!?” He asked, his tone strict and disciplinary.

      “N-Not really...” Kazuya mumbled. “It's hard to explain...”

      “Will he be ok?” Koki asked, not feeling intimidated by the man.

      “Yes, thankfully. The bullet didn't hit any arteries. Any later though and it would have been too late. He's weak and will need time to recover. I want to keep him hospitalized and monitored for at least a week. What on earth happened to you boys?”

      “W-We'd rather not explain...” Yuichi stuttered. “Please don't force us...”

      “I won't, but...Are you in some sort of trouble? This doesn't seem like any hunting trip to me...”

      “We are in trouble...” Kazuya answered truthfully. “But we aren't bad! I promise! There's been a huge misunderstanding. We're just trying to survive...We haven't done anything wrong.”

 

      The doctor nodded and was silent for a moment. He looked at his wife and she nodded at him, seeming to understand what he was thinking. He met eyes with each of the men and a small smile graced his face.

      “Well, either way, you all look exhausted and probably need a place to stay, right?”

      “Yes, we do,” Yuichi answered.

      “You can stay here while your friend recovers then.”

      “Really? You don't mind?” Kazuya asked excitedly.

      “No. It's been a while since my wife and I have had company.”

      “Thank you so much!” Kazuya and Yuichi practically sang. Koki gave a simple nod with a mumbled 'thanks.'

      “Now come this way,” the wife started. “Those clothes are filthy and hardly fitting to wear. We have some extra clothes you can have.”

      “You don't have to go that far...” Yuichi said.

      “It's fine. We've got a lot of extra clothes anyways.”

 

      With that, she fussed them out of their seats and back towards a staircase. When they were on the second floor, she lead them to a bedroom. She walked over to the dresser and pulled a drawer open.

      “Help yourselves to these.”

      “T-Thank you...” Kazuya mumbled.

 

      They began digging through the drawers. They were surprised to find relatively fashionable looking clothes, or at least what they assumed to be. They couldn't see the doctor's fashion sense being like this, not only that, but he seemed too tall for these clothes.

      “Are these clothes your husband's?” Yuichi asked.

      “No, no,” the woman laughed. “They're my sons'. I have two boys who are around your age...But they haven't been home in years. Their clothes are just sitting here gathering dust, so I'm sure they wouldn't mind if some of them were given away.”

      “Why haven't they come back?” Kazuya asked. The woman smiled bitterly.

      “Sometimes, family life gets complicated...”

      “Oh...” Kazuya mumbled. “I'm sorry...”

      “It's fine. Anyways, I'll leave you boys to change. Your friend seems to be taller, so he'll probably have to wear some of my husband's old clothes. Come downstairs when you're done. I'll cook some dinner.”

      “Thank you very much,” Yuichi said, bowing. Kazuya and even Koki bowed as well. The woman simply smiled and waved them off.

 

      The group sifted awkwardly through the clothes. Yuichi wound up putting on a casual suit. Koki chose a pair of pants with a plain shirt and black jacket. Kazuya layered a couple of shirts with a sleeveless jacket. He seemed to have the most sense for fashion.

 

      Yuichi and Koki started heading towards the door, but Kazuya remained at the dresser, still sifting through clothes.

      “Are you going to put more layers on?” Koki asked in disbelief.

      “No...I'm setting some aside for Ueda...He'll need clothes too...”

 

      Yuichi smiled and nodded. He motioned for Koki to keep going downstairs. Before leaving, he turned back to Kazuya.

      “We'll be waiting for you downstairs.”

      “K~”

 

      Kazuya finished picking the clothes, thinking seriously about what would look good on Tatsuya. He would go out in the morning and pass the clothes to him. When he was done, he set them in the corner of the room and went downstairs to join the others.

 

      The wife had finished cooking dinner by then and Yuichi was lively chatting with the doctor. Kazuya timidly joined them at the table, and they ate together. The entire time, the wife's smile was beaming. Kazuya really had to wonder how long this woman had been longing for her sons to come home. Was there someone out there longing for him to come home?

 

      When they finished dinner, the wife told them to go back to the room they were in before. She brought in some extra futons, blankets, and pillows, and bid them goodnight for the evening. Koki wasn't in a particularly talkative mood, so he retired first. Kazuya sat down by the window and began scanning all the scenery. It was the first time he was able to use his gift for something other than visions and reconnaissance. Yuichi sat beside him, looking out the window as well.

      “There are so many lights in the city...” Kazuya mumbled.

      “It's really something, isn't it?”

      “ How long do you think we'll be able to stay here?”

      “Probably not long,” Yuichi sighed. “I mean, Ueda's still out there on his own and we're wanted now. We can't stay in one place for too long. As soon as Taguchi's back on his feet, we'll probably leave.”

      “It's too bad...It's really nice here...”

      “Mhm...It's nice to have some real food for once.”

      “Ueda hasn't eaten anything, huh?” Kazuya asked.

      “Probably not...You seem really interested in him all of a sudden. Weren't you angry at him? You two don't seem to get along...”

      “I don't like him...I don't want to trust him either...But something about him makes me trust him nonetheless...Is that weird?”

      “Not really. He seems like a pretty stable, calm guy. I think he's a good addition to the team.”

      “I just don't understand why he brought me...I wasn't in a cell near you guys at all, was I?”

      “No. You were halfway across the lab from us.”

      “So then why?”

      “I can't really answer that,” Yuichi said, laughing a bit. “But you know, Ueda seems to be pretty protective of you, so I don't think he brought you along without a reason.”

      “Do you think I can trust him?”

      “I think so. I trust him,” Yuichi answered. Kazuya nodded slowly.

      “I'll try,” he sighed.

 

      They continued to stare out the window in silence. Yuichi went to sleep first. Kazuya didn't want to go to sleep. He wanted to see the city as much as he could. It was the biggest luxury he'd ever had since he'd become a test subject. When he could barely keep his eyes open, he finally crawled over to his futon and fell asleep instantly.

 

~*~

      The following morning, the wife woke them up for breakfast. Sleepy groans were heard through the room and it took about 5 minutes before any movement could be seen. Finally though, the three managed to wake up and head downstairs.

 

      As the wife was serving them breakfast, the doctor joined them. He'd been in the clinic, checking in on things and preparing for the work day. He sat down next to Yuichi and gave the three a large smile.

      “Your friend is awake. I just gave him some food. He was pretty hungry. You guys must not have eaten much, huh?”

      “Not anything that tasted good,” Yuichi answered. “Is he doing better?”

      “Much better. You can see him after breakfast if you'd like.”

      “Thank you!” Kazuya exclaimed.

 

      The doctor nodded and chuckled. His wife sat down next to him and everyone began to eat. The conversation was a bit more comfortable this time. Even Koki was participating, and was rather funny and charming. Yuichi suspected he was just trying too hard to be tough before. When he glanced at Kazuya, he noticed him sneaking some food aside.

 

      When they were done, the doctor lead them to Junnosuke's room and left them at the entrance. The three exchanged glances and Yuichi pushed Koki forward.

      “You go first. You've got some things to talk about with Taguchi.”

      “Yeah...”

 

      Koki opened the door slowly and slipped inside. He shut it behind him and took a deep breath. He practically jumped when a voice greeted him.

      “Koki?” Junnosuke asked.

      “Y-Yeah...”

      “Why are you here? You were going to leave, right? I thought you hated me...”

      “I-I don't hate you...” Koki mumbled.

      “Well, sit down then,” Junnosuke said, pointing to the seat beside his bed. “I was getting lonely, honestly...”

      “How are you?”

      “I'm alright, I guess...The doctor says I'll have to be on crutches though...I might slow you guys down...” Junnosuke's fingers were trembling and gripping at the blanket as he spoke. Koki sighed.

      “That's fine. You're one of us...”

      “R-Really? It's fine? But earlier, you said-”

      “I know what I said...But I was wrong, ok? I'm sorry.”

      “Really?”

      “Yes...really,” Koki huffed.

      “Really, really?”

      “Oh my God, stop making me say it!” Koki snapped. Junnosuke broke down into laughter.

      “You're such a tsundere~”

      “Shut up! You must be recovering if you're already this annoying...Shit, why did I sign up for this...”

      “Awwww~ Don't be like that!”

      “Ugh!”

      “Well, sounds like you two have kissed and made up if there's all this laughter and shouting,” Yuichi commented, entering the room. Kazuya followed after him.

      “Oh! Hey guys~” Junnosuke practically sang.

      “Hey Taguchi, how are you feeling?” Kazuya asked.

      “A lot better. I was pretty confused when I woke up though...”

      “I imagine,” Yuichi laughed. “A lot happened...” Junnosuke looked between the other three.

      “Where's Uepi?”

      “He...” Yuichi started.

      “He didn't come with us,” Kazuya answered. “He's wanted for hacking into some top secret information...”

      “Really? But did he actually do that?”

      “We don't know. Ueda doesn't remember...but it was too dangerous for him to come with us to the city, so he's still in the forest,” Yuichi explained.

      “Wow...It's kinda lonely without him here...” Junnosuke sighed.

      “I'm gonna meet up with him soon,” Kazuya explained. “To give him some food and clothes.”

      “So that's why you set some aside during breakfast,” Yuichi added.

      “Yeah. He probably hasn't eaten much other than what he can find in the forest, so he's probably really hungry, right?”

      “Yeah...You might want to go soon. Don't want him to starve to death,” Yuichi said. Kazuya nodded.

      “Then I'll be back later. See ya, Taguchi.”

      “Bye~”

 

      Kazuya left the room and headed back towards the bedroom they'd slept in before. He grabbed the clothes and food he'd set aside for Tatsuya and headed towards the entrance of the clinic. He put a pair of shoes on at the entrance way and grabbed a pair for Tatsuya as well. After that, he was off.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so they've put on their PV clothes XD And Junnosuke forgives pretty easily >.> And I managed to put a chapter up this weekend (though it's technically Monday, but my internet went out for over 24 hours T~T And I'm distracted easily OTL). God, I need to get writing, this story feels like it's not going anywhere T~T Buuuuut, I have a screenplay to write that I put off XP So next weekend lol XD


	8. Chapter 8

      When Kazuya reached the forest, he glanced around. He didn't see Tatsuya immediately, so he decided to call out for him. A few minutes later, someone spoke up.

      “You don't need to shout, you know. I could hear you loud and clear even if you whispered,” Tatsuya stated.

      “Oh...Sorry...” Kazuya mumbled.

 

      He turned to face Tatsuya. The older man looked worn out, like he hadn't actually rested since the events of the day before. He was still in the filthy lab clothes too, which didn't help his tired appearance any.

      “Did you sleep?”

      “A little,” Tatsuya answered.

 

      That was a lie. He hadn't slept at all in truth. The sounds of the forest and the city were far too loud. When he was in the lab, he would listen to Kazuya's breathing and heartbeat in order to drown out the other noises and sleep. Now that he actually knew Kazuya though, he was afraid to do that. He didn't want to be a creep, nor did he want to impose on Kazuya's privacy.

      “You look pretty bad though...” Kazuya sighed.

      “It happens,” Tatsuya shrugged. “So how is everyone? Is Taguchi ok?”

      “Yeah. He's a lot peppier. The doctor wants him to stay for at least a week though...”

      “A week is all we can afford,” Tatsuya answered. “Regardless of what the doctor wants, we'll have to leave after that.”

      “I figured...” Kazuya said sadly.

      “Do you like the city?” Tatsuya asked.

      “Yeah. Especially at night. The lights are really pretty!”

      “I can kinda see them from here, so I definitely agree...I'm sorry we have to leave so soon...”

      “It's fine,” Kazuya sighed. “At least we got to see the lights...if we hadn't left the lab, we'd still be in those boring rooms...”

      “Yeah...”

 

      There was an awkward silence between the two. In order to break it, Kazuya thrust the clothes and food at Tatsuya. The latter looked at him quizzically, then at the clothes.

      “The doctor and his wife gave us some new clothes...”

      “I noticed,” Tatsuya stated, nodding towards Kazuya's attire.

      “I set some aside for you...and the doctor's wife cooks really well. So I saved you some food too. I figured you hadn't eaten much.”

      “That's a correct assumption,” Tatsuya sighed.

      “So there you go. So hurry up and change.”

      “Alright, alright.”

 

      Tatsuya took the clothes and set them down on the ground. He began taking his own clothes off. Kazuya's eyes widened when he caught sight of Tatsuya's body. It was more muscular than Kazuya's would probably ever be. The older noticed him staring and smirked a bit, causing Kazuya to immediately look away with a huff.

 

      Tatsuya put on a tight fitting dark blue shirt and a pair of longer shorts that Kazuya had picked out. Lastly, he put on a jacket and the shoes. It definitely felt nice to have real clothing.

 

      After he was done changing, Kazuya handed him the food. It was some rice balls and omelet slices from breakfast, wrapped up in a napkin. Tatsuya sat down on the ground with a sigh and took a bite. His eyes widened at the taste and this time it was Kazuya who smirked.

      “It's good, huh?”

      “Yeah...Really good...”

 

      Tatsuya continued to eat. He was surprised when Kazuya sat down next to him. The younger smiled awkwardly at him.

      “We've been eating together with the doctor and his wife...It was nice to eat with someone, so you know...”

      “Thank you,” Tatsuya whispered.

 

      He could tell Kazuya was trying really hard to be sociable and friendly to him. Even though they didn't really say anything to each other, having another person beside him was a luxury that Tatsuya had longed for. He hoped one day they would be able to talk comfortably.

 

      When Tatsuya had finished, Kazuya got to his feet. He brushed off his clothes since he'd been sitting on the forest floor, and glanced down at Tatsuya.

      “I'm gonna go back now...”

      “Alright. Thank you for coming...”

      “Mhm. I'll come again tomorrow.”

      “I might sneak into the city...Try and get some money for us...”

      “Please don't do anything illegal...We're already wanted...”

      “I won't,” Tatsuya sighed. “I'm going to try and find any old emails of mine...See if they connect to an online bank account. I was 15 when the lab took me in, so I must have had at least one email address...I probably had a bank account too...I wanna see if I have any money...”

      “That's pretty risky...”

      “But it's our best bet right now.”

      “Yeah...” Kazuya grimaced. “Be careful, alright?”

      “I will.”

      “See you tomorrow.”

      “See you.”

 

      With that, Kazuya turned away and began walking back to the city. Tatsuya sat for just a little while longer before heading into the city himself. He was determined to find some way for them to get by. After all, they'd have to pay for Junnosuke's treatment.

 

      When he was in the city, he tossed his lab clothes in a nearby garbage and began searching for a net cafe. When he found one, he went inside and logged onto a computer. He searched for various different mailing websites and began trying to figure out if he had an account there.

 

      After some time sifting through different websites, he finally found his information stored on one site. He began hacking away, trying to get into his account. It didn't take long. These things really did come naturally to him.

 

      He scrolled through mountains of junk mail, praying he would see an email from a bank of some sort. Finally, he spotted one. He thanked whatever fate or deity that might be out there and clicked on the email.

 

      He followed the link to the bank's website and used the 'forgot password' option in order to renew it. After a few easy steps, he was looking at his bank account from when he was 15 years old.

 

      What was strange though was money had been continuously deposited in it for the past 10 years. It actually added up to a rather large amount. Who was making the deposits though? He didn't want to hack for information when it came to banking. If he was caught, it would give him away immediately. Instead, he simply signed out.

 

      Next, he walked around town, keeping his head down so no one could see his face. He saw an automatic credit service station. It was a recent invention. Rather than going through the steps of talking to a banker and getting a card securely, you could simply go to a station, input the needed information, and get a card printed there. There was still a lot of security questions to prevent fraud at these stations and a person's social security number was needed. Still, it didn't seem like the safest alternative. They were people of convenience though, not always intelligence. Either way, it was in Tatsuya's favor.

 

      He stepped into one of the private stalls and began punching his information in. Thankfully, they were forced to remember their social security numbers at the labs. It was the one part of their identity they were allowed to keep.

 

      He continued filling out information and finally, a card was printed from the machine. He grabbed it and sighed. At least they had money now. The labs and police probably hadn't found his old bank account yet either, so they had a few days before their actions would be tracked. Still, they had to be careful. Any purchases they made would be tracked by the police in time.

 

      He left the stall and quickly headed out of the city. The noise was starting to get to him and he was afraid to stay in the open for too long. By the time he got back to the forest, the sun was setting. Tatsuya was exhausted, but no matter how long he closed his eyes, his mind wouldn't rest. It would be another sleepless night it seemed. At least he had Kazuya's visit to look forward to in the morning.

 

~*~

      Kazuya came the following morning as promised, with more food for Tatsuya. The latter looked just as worn-down as he had the day before, if not more so. It worried Kazuya, but when he brought it up, Tatsuya brushed it off. Instead, Tatsuya showed him the credit card.

      “How did you get this...?” Kazuya asked.

      “Turns out I did have a bank account. There was a pretty large amount of money in there too.”

      “How!?”

      “I don't know. Someone was depositing money in it.”

      “Are you sure it was your account?”

      “Positive. It was connected to my social security number, so...”

      “That's so weird...I wonder if your family was putting money in it...Or maybe the labs...”

      “Family seems more likely than the labs.”

      “Yeah. That's true...”

      “Either way, use this to pay the doctor, ok? It might not be enough, but do what you can...Hopefully he'll understand.”

      “Ok...”

      “Don't pay him until the day you all leave though. The police will find that card soon enough and use it to track us.”

      “That's comforting...”

      “Yep,” Tatsuya said sarcastically. “So we can only use it when we absolutely need to.”

      “Understood.”

 

      The rest of the morning was spent in silence, but it was more comfortable than the day before. Kazuya was getting used to Tatsuya. Before, he'd honestly been scared of everyone, and he'd resented Tatsuya for bringing him along on this trip to hell. Now, he was beginning to enjoy being away from the lab.

 

      He was already fond of Junnosuke and Yuichi. Even Koki wasn't so bad. He was slowly growing to like Tatsuya too. There was something very calming about him. He still wondered what it was that caused the older man to drag him out of the labs though.

      “Hey Ueda...?”

      “Hm?”

      “Why did you bring me along?”

      “Mmm...They were hurting you...I could hear you crying...I figured you wanted out...”

      “So you just assumed...”

      “Was I wrong?”

      “No...” Kazuya mumbled.

      “Then it's alright. Everything will be fine, ok? I'll make sure of it.”

      “If you say so...”

 

      Tatsuya laughed and ruffled Kazuya's hair, earning a glare from him. The older had discovered that Kazuya was particular about his looks. He had to wonder if the man was some sort of fashion designer before all this hell started. Maybe someday he'd be able to be one. If they were ever able to stop running.

 

      When Tatsuya was finished eating, Kazuya headed back into the city. It was honestly painful to be alone in the forest, but Tatsuya understood that there was nothing they could do about it. He hoped it wouldn't always be like this though. He hated feeling ostracized. That was the whole reason he'd escaped.

 

~*~

      For the rest of the week, Kazuya visited Tatsuya every morning. Together, they made a plan for how they would leave the city together. Junnosuke would be on crutches, so they would have to travel by public transportation. They would travel to the next city and hopefully give the police the slip for a little while longer.

 

      The morning of their departure, the group woke up before the sun was even up. They planned to catch the earliest bullet train out of the city since there would be less people on it. Surprisingly, the doctor and his wife woke up with them. The group had told them when they would be leaving, but they hadn't expected the two to see them off.

 

      The doctor got Junnosuke some clothes to wear as well as some crutches. While the doctor was getting him situated, the wife was preparing food for the journey. When she gave it to Yuichi, he was shocked.

      “You didn't need to do this for us...” He gasped.

      “It's fine. I wanted to. You've got a long road ahead, don't you?”

      “T-Thank you...” He said, bowing to her.

 

      The doctor walked into the room, Junnosuke hobbling after him on crutches. The man went to his wife's side and smiled at the group. Kazuya took that as an opportunity to give him the credit card.

      “It's not much...but thank you for everything,” he mumbled. The man looked at the card and pushed Kazuya's hand down gently.

      “You don't need to pay us,” he stated.

      “B-But...You've done so much for us...Surely it was a lot of money to treat Taguchi!” Kazuya gasped.

      “It was...But had it been one of my sons, I would have done it without expecting him to pay.”

      “But we aren't your sons,” Koki deadpanned.

      “No...But you brought the both of us more comfort and joy than our sons have in years. We'll give you their 'free family care' bonus.”

      “I-I don't know what to say...” Yuichi stuttered out.

      “Stay safe,” the wife said. “Take care of yourselves. You're going to have many more struggles ahead, aren't you?”

      “Yes...” Kazuya muttered.

      “Save the money for that. When everything's over, I hope we see you boys again,” the wife stated.

      “Thank you,” the group said virtually in unison.

      “We'll be sure to come back,” Koki added, smiling bashfully. Junnosuke had to bite his tongue in order not to make a tsundere joke. It wasn't the proper time.

 

      They continued saying goodbyes and slowly made their way to the entrance of the clinic. After one more exchange of thanks and farewells, the group left. They glanced once more at the clinic that had saved their lives. They would definitely remember it.

 

      They moved slowly so Junnosuke could keep up. Just as the sun was starting to rise, they made it to the train station. Tatsuya was waiting there nervously. He looked absolutely exhausted, but when he saw them, his face instantly brightened up.

 

      He rushed over and hugged Junnosuke close. The taller was caught off guard and almost lost his balance, but he gently hugged Tatsuya back, smiling into his shoulder. It felt good to be embraced like this. He could probably count the amount of hugs he'd received in his life on his fingers.

 

      When Tatsuya finally let go, he sighed. He met eyes with everyone else and smiled. He motioned to the ticket booth nearby.

      “Shall we get tickets? Train leaves in 15 minutes, so we'll have to wait a bit.”

      “Sounds good,” Yuichi answered. “Kame and I will go buy tickets.”

 

      The two rushed towards the ticket booths. In the meantime, Koki and Tatsuya helped Junnosuke up the steps to the boarding area and towards a nearby bench to sit down. Kazuya and Yuichi returned shortly after and gave everyone a ticket.

 

      Soon, a train pulled into the station. The group helped Junnosuke to his feet and headed into the train once the doors opened. They found some seats inside. Thankfully, the particular section they entered was empty. The journey would be a lot less stressful that way.

 

      Five minutes after they were seated, they felt the train start to move. They were finally on their way to the next town.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So back again~ Finally, 8 chapters in, there's some Kameda development OTL Oh well XD There will be more from here on out. And now they're moving on to new places, so the scenery will change at least XD I dunno, maybe it's because I'm the one writing it and I want to get to stuff that's gonna happen like in the 20s and 30s chapter-wise (yes, I'm expecting it to get this long-.-') and I'm only in like the 10s, but it feels like it's dragging-.-' Anybody else ever get that way when they write? Or is it just me lol XD Anyways, things will be changing and moving on from here, so I hope you'll enjoy XD


	9. Chapter 9

      The train ride was mostly silent. Most of them took naps to pass the time. Tatsuya was constantly awake though. His eyes burned and he knew any normal person would have collapsed by now. He was used to hardly sleeping though. He'd gone longer without sleep back at the labs. He wondered how he'd lived this long, honestly.

 

      Tatsuya groaned and rubbed his eyes. Kazuya couldn't help but notice. He'd been sitting a few seats away, staring out the window at the passing scenery, but upon hearing Tatsuya, his attention was immediately on him. He scooted over and looked intently into Tatsuya's tired eyes, unnerving the latter.

      “What...?” Tatsuya asked.

      “Are you sure you're ok?” Kazuya asked quietly, not wanting to alert the others to his suspicion.

 

      Tatsuya was obviously trying to hide that he was tired, and Kazuya figured the last thing he needed was everyone else getting on his case.

      “I'm fine,” Tatsuya answered.

      “You don't seem fine to me. Have you actually been sleeping?”

      “Here and there,” Tatsuya said.

      “That's a pretty vague answer...”

 

      Just as Tatsuya was starting to panic about having Kazuya on his case, the overhead speaker announced their stop. Tatsuya jumped to his feet.

      “We're getting off here.”

 

      He walked over and gently woke Junnosuke, who'd been sleeping. Yuichi and Koki joined Tatsuya and began helping Junnosuke to his feet and situating him on his crutches. As the train came to a full stop, all three braced Junnosuke so he wouldn't fall over. He whispered thanks to all of them.

 

      When the doors opened, they helped Junnosuke out of the train. Kazuya trailed out behind them. He still had some serious doubts about Tatsuya. There was no way he was healthy and well. He looked miserable. Kazuya had to wonder if he had eaten much more than he had slept. If he got too rundown, he would collapse, which Kazuya wouldn't wish on anyone. He knew how it felt to be that rundown. He would definitely be keeping an eye on Tatsuya.

 

      When they got off the train, they were immediately bombarded with the business of the city. They'd traveled overnight and into the afternoon of the following day. The city was pulsing with life and it was almost too much for the group to take in. A nearby projection board brought them back to reality though.

      “Look!” Kazuya gasped, pointing to the board. Tatsuya's picture was there, taking up a fourth of the board.

      “Shit...” Koki hissed.

      “Crowd around Ueda,” Yuichi instructed. When they'd all formed a sort of barrier around Tatsuya, Yuichi spoke up again. “What are we going to do here?”

      “Get supplies, withdraw some money, and switch trains,” Tatsuya answered.

      “Alright...So money first?” Yuichi asked. Tatsuya nodded. “Kame-”

      “I'm on it,” Kazuya interrupted.

 

      He glanced around, looking throughout the city for an ATM. He had to take steps and turn his body to be able to see around the tall buildings though. While he could see farther, he couldn't see through solid objects. Finally, he found an ATM station.

      “It's over there. It'll probably take us 15 minutes to walk there...Er...Maybe more with Taguchi...” He mumbled.

      “Sorry...” Junnosuke whispered.

      “It's fine,” Koki soothed. The others gave him surprised looks.

      “What!? We're a team, you guys said it yourself...”

      “No...That's just the nicest thing I've heard you say...” Kazuya mumbled.

      “Koki's not that bad, you guys~” Junnosuke practically sang. “He's actually a big softy!”

      “Shut up!” Koki snapped. Junnosuke began laughing obnoxiously. Tatsuya smiled at them and sighed.

      “I'm glad you two get along so well. We need to get to the ATM though...”

      “Yeah. Kame-chan, lead the way~” Junnosuke urged.

 

      Kazuya blushed a bit at the nickname. He wasn't sure if he hated it or liked it. On one hand, it made him feel important and liked, but on the other, it made him extremely embarrassed. Still, he didn't have time for that internal debate.

      “Stay around Ueda,” Yuichi instructed. “We need to try and hide him...Ueda, you keep your head down too so people won't recognize you.”

      “Got it,” Tatsuya answered.

 

      With that, the group set off towards the ATM. It took a little while since Junnosuke wasn't the fastest on crutches, but they made it in a decent amount of time. Tatsuya rushed up to one of the stalls, keeping his head down. Kazuya and Yuichi went with him.

 

      He withdrew a generous amount of money, letting out a sigh as the machine spat it out at him. After, he motioned for them to go back to Junnosuke and Koki. When they'd reconvened, he split the money between the other 4.

      “Alright. Before we leave this town, we need to buy some supplies. Food and water for the road, some backpacks to carry them in, other necessities. Things like that. This amount of money should be more than enough,” Tatsuya explained.

      “What are you going to do?” Yuichi asked.

      “It's too risky for me to go with you guys. Would you mind buying some things for me?” Tatsuya asked.

      “Sure...Where should we meet when we're done?” Yuichi asked.

      “Train station. We're not going to stay in this city beyond getting supplies,” Tatsuya answered. “I'll hide there somewhere and meet up with you guys when you arrive. Try not to take too long though...”

      “Alright,” Yuichi nodded. “See you then.”

 

      The group split once again. As Kazuya watched Tatsuya turn away, he couldn't help but notice the slightly pained expression on his face. He was trying to act strong again. Kazuya was starting to see right through him.

 

      Kazuya and the other 3 began sifting through various stores, grabbing backpacks and the bare necessities that would get them through. They avoided food that needed to be cooked or refrigerated since they didn't think they would have either of those luxuries. They bought a rather large pack of water bottles. It would get them through to the next city at least.

 

      After an hour or two of shopping, they rushed back to the train station, as fast as they could with Junnosuke that is, and began hunting for Tatsuya. They were beginning to panic when they didn't see him, but finally Kazuya spotted him sitting on a bench, his face in a newspaper. Newspapers were one of the few things still in print since holograms became the newest way to deliver news.

 

      The group walked over to him and set down the items they'd bought. Tatsuya's eyes widened at the amount.

      “Do you guys still have money after all of this?” He asked.

      “Yeah. Quite a bit, actually,” Junnosuke answered. “You gave us a lot.”

      “Good...So you'll be able to board the train,” Tatsuya mumbled as he started distributing and packing things into the backpacks.”

      “Why does it sound like you're not coming with us again?” Yuichi asked. Tatsuya smiled gently at him.

      “Because I'm not. Not by train anyway...They've got guards on these trains, checking faces...You guys should still be fine, but I'll give you away instantly if I go with you.”

      “So what will you do?” Kazuya asked.

      “Stay on the outskirts of the city...walk along the train tracks...avoid people...Until I make it to whichever city you guys choose to go to.”

      “By yourself?” Yuichi asked. “Why don't we just stick together?”

      “Taguchi's still pretty hurt, isn't he? Do you think he'd fair well walking on foot for several days to get to the city? He needs to take the train...and it's better if you guys stay with him.”

      “Still...” Yuichi urged. “It feels wrong to keep leaving you.”

      “It can't be helped,” Tatsuya said sadly.

 

      There was a moment of silence. Everyone was reluctant to split up again. The guilt was apparent on Junnosuke's face. Tatsuya rubbed the latter's arm comfortingly, not wanting him to blame himself for the way things were. If anything, it was Tatsuya who was holding the group back.

      “I'll go with Ueda,” Kazuya spoke up suddenly.

      “What?” Tatsuya asked. Yuichi smiled and nodded.

      “I think that's a good idea. No one should be alone right now. That includes you, Ueda.”

      “Still...It's gonna be a lot of walking...” Tatsuya told the youngest.

      “I'm fine with that,” Kazuya answered.

      “If you insist...”

 

Kazuya nodded and smiled at him. Tatsuya wasn't entirely sure what the other was thinking. In fact, he really couldn't tell how Kazuya even felt about him. He always seemed angry at him and wary of his presence, yet he always stuck to his side and kept him company. Could Tatsuya count this as an improvement in their relationship?

 

      The group finished distributing items and packing their bags. Yuichi, Koki, and Junnosuke then bought tickets from the counter nearby. After, they returned to Tatsuya and Kazuya to tell them which city they were headed to. Shortly after that, the train arrived and the three got on.

 

      When they'd left, Kazuya and Tatsuya followed the train tracks, taking roundabout routes when they weren't allowed to cross at certain points. Tatsuya kept his head down for a majority of the journey, praying no one would make the connection between him and all the projections of his wanted poster.

 

      Finally, they found the train tracks again. The city life dwindled away slowly until it was just a few small houses along the tracks. They were in the wilderness now. It was starting to get dark too. They had flashlights and Kazuya had trained to be able to see well in the dark, so they could keep going if they really needed. Kazuya wasn't sure that was necessary though.

      “Should we stop for the night?” He asked Tatsuya. The latter looked like he was seconds away from passing out, and Kazuya couldn't help but wonder why he didn't do so already.

      “Yeah...This will do...” Tatsuya sighed.

 

      They sat down a safe distance away from the tracks. They took out their flashlights and sifted through their packs for the food they'd rationed off for that night. Then, they began to eat in silence.

 

      Tatsuya still didn't know what to talk about with Kazuya. He wished he had some memories other than the lab. He doubted either of them wanted to talk about their memories of that place.

      “There are a lot of stars out tonight, aren't there?” Kazuya said, trying to start a conversation.

      “Yeah, there are,” Tatsuya agreed. There was another awkward pause and he cursed his lack of people skills.

      “I didn't see this many when we were in the last city...”

      “That's because there was so much light pollution.”

      “Light pollution?”

      “It's where the light from the city kinda blocks out the light from the stars, so you only see the ones that shine really brightly.”

      “Hm~ You know a lot, don't you?”

      “A lot of useless facts and how to hack computers,” he sighed. “No memories about myself though.”

      “That's more than me,” Kazuya sighed. I don't remember anything...I'm not sure if there's anything to remember...I've been in the labs most of my life.”

      “Then you can make some memories now,” Tatsuya stated.

      “Hm?”

      “We're not exactly free to do what we want, but I'm sure you can still find ways to make some good memories.”

      “Like the stars?” Kazuya asked.

      “Mhm. Like the stars.”

      “Do you know anything else about them?”

      “Me? Uh...I know a couple names and constellations...”

      “Can you teach me? I wanna learn...”

 

      Tatsuya laughed gently and nodded. He reached out to ruffle Kazuya's hair, but stopped his hand midair when Kazuya flinched away. He let out a sigh and pointed at the sky with his still-elevated hand, naming one of the constellations he knew. Kazuya's eyes lit up as he listened to Tatsuya go on about constellations and stories attached to them. He'd never been so thankful for the random facts hidden within his head.

 

      Once the conversation had run dry and they'd finished their dinners, Kazuya laid on his back, taking in the night sky. Tatsuya laid beside him. This was the closest he'd ever been to the other boy. It felt weird to lay down next to him. Kazuya's heart was beating loud and clear in his ear. He wondered how angry Kazuya would be if he knew that was how Tatsuya had lulled himself to sleep for 10 years.

 

      As the night went on, Kazuya's breathing evened out. Tatsuya was sure he was asleep. Things were quieter than they had been when he was outside the city, but the sounds of distant trains were keeping him awake. He'd lost count of how long he'd gone without sleep. Eventually, he'd pass out, but he'd gotten accustomed to pushing himself on no sleep. He let out a quiet groan and rubbed his eyes.

      “So you aren't sleeping?” Kazuya whispered. Tatsuya practically jumped from the sudden voice.

      “W-What?” He asked.

      “You aren't sleeping...It's not just tonight either, huh? You haven't been sleeping.” Tatsuya was silent. “When was the last time you slept?”

      “The last night we spent in the lab...” Tatsuya whispered.

      “That long!? Why?” Kazuya gasped. Tatsuya sighed.

      “Just like you, I don't think my powers are a 'gift.' They're a curse...”

      “What do you mean?”

      “I can still hear a decent amount of noise from the city...I can hear most of the night trains running...I can hear all the bugs and sounds of the night...I can hear everything,” Tatsuya sighed. “And it's so loud I can't even think sometimes, let alone sleep...”

      “Can't you turn it off or something?” Kazuya asked innocently. Tatsuya let out a bitter laugh.

      “If it were only that easy. I learned how to lower the amount of frequencies and such that I hear...but it's still not really enough. The easiest way is to focus my hearing on something specific.”

      “So what did you focus on in the lab?”

      “...I can't tell you...”

      “Why?”

      “You'll think I'm a creep.”

      “Why!? I won't! What, did you focus on something gross?”

      “No...”

      “Then what!?”

 

      Tatsuya bit his lip, then sighed. He turned his head to look at Kazuya and found the latter staring at him intently. Tatsuya could tell he wouldn't let up until he knew. This would make them really awkward again, but at least they had one good conversation before things were ruined.

      “I would focus on your breathing...or your heartbeat...”

 

      There was a long pause before anyone said anything. Finally, Kazuya spoke up.

      “Is that why you really brought me along? So you could use me?” He asked, hurt in his voice.

      “No! Of course not!” Tatsuya shouted, sitting up and looking down at Kazuya. “I haven't listened to your heartbeat once since we started talking to each other because I didn't want to be a creep and upset you!”

      “But why!? You've been suffering because of that decision!” Kazuya shouted, sitting up himself. Tatsuya sighed.

      “I've gone weeks without sleep before,” he said darkly. “I'd rather do that then take advantage of you and invade your privacy.”

      “You were fine doing that before we met though...”

      “I know...I'm sorry,” Tatsuya practically whimpered. There was a pause.

      “You can listen...if it helps you...” Kazuya said quietly.

      “W-What?”

      “I gave you permission. That means you're not being a creep and invading my privacy, right? So now you can sleep.”

      “But...are you ok with it? Really?”

      “Honestly...it makes me uncomfortable...But you need to sleep...that's more important than me being a little uncomfortable.”

      “I don't think so.”

      “Say that again and I'll smack you,” Kazuya deadpanned.

      “Alright...”

      “I decided I want to trust you...so I'm going to do that. I'm going to believe the things you tell me. I'm going to believe that you're a good person...ok?”

      “Ok...”

      “So I'm going to believe that you're thinking about my feelings and best interest, and I'm going to think about yours. If you need to listen to me breathe in order to sleep, then I give you permission. End of story, ok?”

      “Yeah...” Tatsuya mumbled in defeat. “Thank you.”

      “You're welcome,” Kazuya sighed, lying down again. “Now get to sleep. We've got a long journey ahead of us, right?”

      “Yeah...”

 

      Tatsuya laid down on his side beside Kazuya. He closed his eyes, focusing on the familiar, soft beating rhythm of the boy's heart. Within seconds, it was lulling him to sleep. He fell asleep before Kazuya did, exhaustion winning the battle finally.

 

      That night, he slept more soundly than he had in months.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, your crummy author is finally updating OTL This should have been up last Tuesday, but my dad thought it would be nice to make me repaint the freaking windowsills...so alas, my entire night was spent doing that instead of writing (and the rest of the week is nonstop school). And this weekend was a lot of the same stuff (I was painting the ceiling and trim instead though...which is not fun at all-.-'). Buuuuut, I had some chapters stocked up for this purpose, so here I am, finally updating XD Life should quiet down for me soon...I hope-.-' In the meantime, have some Kameda? Like, there was actual Kameda interaction in this chapter! Look at me go! Making minute progress OTL Anyways, I'll shut up and let you guys get on with life now >.>


	10. Chapter 10

      The train ride was mostly silent. Koki sat away from the other two, staring out the window, watching the scenery pass by. Yuichi and Junnosuke made small talk here and there, but neither really had anything to comment on.

 

      The labs had really messed them up socially. They didn't even know what they liked or what their interests were anymore, so how could they even start a conversation? Talk of the scenery or of strategy only lasted so long.

 

      Finally, the train pulled into a massive station. The three got off slowly, gawking at the amount of people around them. The station was packed with people greeting loved ones or sending them off. People were bustling to and fro, looking for the right train to board.

 

      After a moment, Yuichi shook himself from his daze and motioned for the other two to follow. It was hard getting through the crowd with Junnosuke on crutches. Koki and Yuichi often protected him from getting shoved and pushed.

 

      Finally, they made it out of the station and into the big city. Night had fallen and the city was shining with lights. There were even more people crowding the sidewalks than there had been in the station and vehicles consumed the streets. It was honestly overwhelming. The buildings towered over them as well.

      “Where do we go now?” Junnosuke asked, already tired from sifting through the crowds.

      “We need to find a hotel,” Yuichi sighed. “We can stay there and wait for Kame and Ueda.”

      “You think they'll make it here?” Koki asked. Yuichi glared at him. “I'm just asking, ok! I'm worried about them, not trying to leave them behind.”

      “They'll be fine...At least I hope...Ueda looked pretty worn out...”

      “Kame-chan will take care of him~” Junnosuke sang.

      “Hopefully...” Yuichi sighed.

      “You two are such downers!” Junnosuke pouted.

      “Let's find a hotel for now,” Koki sighed. “I know Taguchi's exhausted and I'm pretty tired too...”

      “Yeah...It shouldn't be too hard to find...Right?” Yuichi groaned.

 

      The group nodded awkwardly and glanced around. They wished they had Kazuya with them since he was much better at finding things. They began to meander down the sidewalk, and finally, they spotted a large building with 'hotel' written on it in neon letters. They walked across the street and stared up at the building.

 

      It didn't look like a particularly sketchy building, but it certainly wasn't the most welcoming building they'd seen either. It looked like it had suffered some wear and tear over the years and some of the neon letters didn't quite light up as well as others. Still, that was probably for the best. They didn't want to stand out right now, and this place would probably be cheaper than the fancier hotels.

 

      Yuichi took the first step into the building. Koki held the door open so Junnosuke could get inside, then followed after him. They glanced around the dimly lit lobby. Yuichi spotted the front desk and went over. He was the best at talking to people out of the three, which wasn't saying much since he still hadn't managed to have much of a successful conversation with anyone upon leaving the labs.

 

      After asking for a room at the front desk, he had to figure out how to split beds and who would be sleeping with who, because they really didn't have enough money to give everyone their own room or bed. Finally, he decided on two king-sized beds and a pull-out couch, since someone would have to sleep there once Tatsuya and Kazuya arrived.

 

      He paid the person in cash, which was another awkward, hefty feat for him, since he wasn't used to carrying so much cash on him, or any cash for that matter, then received two keycards to their room. He went back to Junnosuke and Koki, who'd been standing in the background, still absorbing the scenery.

      “We're on the third floor,” Yuichi stated. Junnosuke groaned.

      “Please tell me they have an elevator,” he pleaded.

      “They do. Don't worry. Here's a key to our room. Hold onto it.”

      “Thanks,” Koki said, taking the key since Junnosuke had crutches to hold. “Shall we find our room then?” He sighed.

      “Yep~” Junnosuke said happily.

 

      The three made their way slowly over to the elevator in the corner of the lobby. It wasn't disgusting or unkempt, but it was something like what you'd see in a horror movie. It was dimly lit and the doors seemed to close painfully slow. Finally, it started moving.

 

      They got off on the third floor and made their way down the hall in the direction of their room number. They found it pretty easily and went inside instantly. Yuichi turned on the lights and they sighed in relief when the room was spacious and far more welcoming than the lobby had been. Yuichi looked into the bathroom and had to contain his excitement when he saw the shower and toilet. They still weren't used to having those luxuries. Sure, they had showers and bathrooms in the labs, but everything was monitored and scheduled. They hadn't been able to do as they pleased.

 

      When he left the bathroom, Junnosuke had already sat down on one of the beds, his back to the baseboard and both of his legs flopped tiredly across the comforter. He was rubbing tenderly at his injured leg, wincing a bit. Koki had taken a seat at the small table at the end of the room, near the pull-out couch.

      “You alright?” Yuichi asked Junnosuke, sitting down on the bed across from him.

      “Yeah...It just hurts...” The latter mumbled through hisses of pain.

      “Did the doctor give us any pain reliever?” Koki asked.

      “Mmmm...I think so? Maybe...” Yuichi muttered to himself, digging through his backpack. “Ah! Yeah, here it is. The wife had put it in with the food she made us. There's instructions for how much you should take...but you probably shouldn't take it on an empty stomach...”

      “That's usually how it goes, isn't it?” Koki asked.

      “I think so...I remember the doctor saying something like that...”

      “So that means we need food,” Junnosuke groaned.

      “We've got some snacks for now. Eat some and take your medicine. I'll go get some dinner for us,” Yuichi stated. “You two can stay here.”

      “You sure?” Koki asked. “You gonna be ok on your own?”

      “Taguchi needs more looking after than I do,” Yuichi answered. “Besides, if something goes wrong, I can freeze time and escape that way.”

      “Point taken,” Koki agreed.

      “So I'll be back in a bit. Hang in there until then, ok, Taguchi?”

      “Yeah...Thanks,” the injured man said quietly.

      “You're welcome. Be back in a bit.”

 

      With that, Yuichi got to his feet tiredly, grabbed one of the keycards to their room and his backpack, then left the room. He headed back into the creepy elevator, then out of the lobby and onto the streets.

 

      He glanced around. There was hustling and bustling in every direction. He wasn't even aware there could be this many people in one place. The good news was there were restaurants everywhere, so he wouldn't have to go far. He would just have to brave the crowd.

 

      He began walking down the street, pushing his way through sometimes. Finally, he made his way to a fast food restaurant. It wasn't ideal, but it would do for now. He went inside and was grateful to find the place fairly empty. He'd had enough of people for that evening.

 

      He ordered some generic burgers and fries, realizing he'd never asked the other two what they wanted to eat. They probably wouldn't be too picky though. After all, anything was better than what they had been eating at the lab. He paid in cash once again, then waited a few minutes to receive the food. After, he took a deep, steadying breath, and went out onto the streets once again.

 

      This time, he had to be more careful, since he was carrying food. He weaved his way through the crowd and was almost back to the hotel when something caught his eye. It was a massive projection on the side of a building, It was advertising a new and upcoming idol.

 

_Tsukimoto Haruka was making a comeback with her second single._

 

      Yuichi stared at the name, then the beaming smile of the girl. He knew both quite well, more than he wished he did. His heart sunk and his stomach churned. He wanted to feel happy about it, but all he could feel was betrayed. He wished some of his memories had stayed gone.

 

      He tore his eyes away from the projection and power walked back to the hotel. He wanted to forget, or at least pretend to forget. He didn't need these sorts of feelings.

 

~*~

      Junnosuke had eaten a small pack of chips and taken his medicine. Still, he seemed to be in a lot of pain. Koki figured it would take time for the medicine to kick in.

      “Feeling any better?” He asked.

      “A little,” Junnosuke mumbled.

      “Are we going to have to clean it and put new bandages on?” Koki asked.

      “Probably...It could still get infected after all...”

      “Great...” Koki groaned.

      “You queasy with blood and cuts and stuff?”

      “No. It's just gonna be a lot of extra care to keep track of,” Koki sighed.

      “I'm sorry...”

      “Don't apologize. It's not your fault. You didn't shoot your own leg. It could have been any of us in your position...”

      “Hey Koki...”

      “Hm?”

      “Why do you have to be like this...? You can be nice, but you always follow up with something to make yourself sound tough or mean...”

      “Er...I don't-”

      “You don't have to be mean. No one will judge you if you're nice. In fact, I think they'd prefer it.”

      “It just happens, ok!” Koki huffed. “I just don't like feeling weak...”

      “So you're insecure?” Junnosuke asked.

      “I guess you could say that...” Koki muttered. “What's it to you though!?”

      “See! Right there! You had to follow with something tough sounding! You're such a tsundere!”

      “Shut up!”

 

      Koki grabbed a pillow from the couch and threw at Junnosuke. The latter merely laughed nonstop, a sight that Koki preferred far more than him crying or being in pain. He would never admit that out loud though. Besides, everyone preferred laughter to sadness and pain. It didn't mean anything that Koki felt that way.

      “I'm curious though,” Junnosuke started after catching his breath from laughing. “Why did you suddenly start taking care of me? I mean, you abandoned us because of me...but now you probably take more care of me than the others do...”

 

      Koki sighed and got up from the couch. He walked over to the bed and sat down next to Junnosuke, his back against the baseboard as well. He looked straight ahead, not looking at the other man.

      “Don't tell the others I'm telling you this...” He started

      “Why? Is it bad?”

      “It's personal...”

      “Oh...You sure you even want to tell me then?”

      “I do...So shut up and listen.”

      “Alright, alright...” Junnosuke fussed. Koki took a deep breath before starting.

      “You remind me of someone I used to know...”

      “I do? Who?”

      “I'm not sure...I haven't gotten that part of my memory back,” Koki sighed. “I think it was my little brother though...”

      “Why do I remind you of him?” Junnosuke asked. He noticed Koki's cheeks flush a bit and he expected the latter to snap at him. Instead, he was surprisingly honest.

      “My little brother was crying for me not to leave...It was a lot like how you were when you were having your little freak out...”

      “Oh...”

      “Don't worry about it, ok? None of us blame you. We all know you were going through a lot. Anyways, while you were crying out like that, I remembered my little brother calling after me...I guess you could say it made me a little guilty...It made me feel like I abandoned everyone and everything in the past...”

      “You don't know if that's true though,” Junnosuke soothed. “You don't remember everything.”

      “I know, but...I tried to leave all of you guys behind too...Maybe I was just some backstabbing ass...”

      “Koki...”

      “I don't want to be like that...so I'm going to try to make it work with this group. I think we all need that...”

      “So you're taking care of me because of that?”

      “No. I'm staying in the group because of that. I'm taking care of you because you're hopeless.”

      “And cuz I remind you of your brother?”

      “Shut up.”

      “The tsundere appears again~”

      “SHUT UP!”

 

      Junnosuke broke down laughing again. The door opened and Yuichi walked in, looking completely worn out.

      “You two sound like you're up to no good again,” he sighed.

      “You ok?” Koki asked. “You look pretty down. Was finding a restaurant that hard?”

      “The streets were crowded. I just had my fair share of pushing through people,” Yuichi sighed.

      “Take it easy, ok?” Junnosuke comforted.

      “I will. Here's dinner. How are you feeling, Taguchi?”

      “Better. Koki was keeping me company too~”

 

      Koki glared at him and Junnosuke smiled mischievously. Yuichi smiled and shook his head.

      “I'm glad you two are getting along now at least. Just try not to annoy the neighbors, ok? Don't laugh too hysterically.”

      “Yeaaaah...Sorry about that,” Junnosuke said, rubbing the back of his head.

 

      Yuichi's smile grew and he nodded. After, he and Koki helped Junnosuke over to the table and into one of the chairs. They sat together, making small talk here and there. It was still hard to make conversation with each other, but they were getting there. It was nice just to be near one another.

 

      After eating, they settled down in various parts of the room. Junnosuke was on one bed, Yuichi on the other, and Koki was back on the couch. The rest of the evening was spent in a peaceful silence until finally they all fell asleep.

 

~*~

      A few days passed as Tatsuya and Kazuya traveled along the train tracks. Tatsuya was looking much better since he'd been sleeping and eating regularly. He and Kazuya were becoming a bit closer as well. Each night they found some random topic to discuss before going to sleep.

 

      Kazuya didn't seem to be bothered by Tatsuya's invasion of his privacy either. If anything, it seemed like Kazuya was enjoying having the attention and being able to be close to someone. Tatsuya hoped it would stay like this. He wanted to continue to get closer to the younger man.

 

      It was a strange feeling, really. Tatsuya wasn't really possessive or dying for attention. There was just something about Kazuya's presence in general that comforted him and drew him towards the boy.

 

      Another morning came and the two were once again walking along the tracks. They were both tired from the journey, but they had to keep going. Kazuya was looking at the ground, kicking rocks here and there. He practically froze in place when he heard something though.

      “Trains...I hear lots of trains...” He gasped.

      “We  _ are _ along train tracks, Kame...” Tatsuya sighed.

      “No, but I hear people too!”

      “Yeaaah...”

      “Hey! I don't have super hearing like you, ok! The fact that  _ I _ hear these things means we must be close to the station, right?”

      “Probably,” Tatsuya answered. “Listening, I'd say we've at most another hour of walking and we'll be there.”

      “So we'll be in the city by tonight? With beds and stuff?”

      “Yeah.”

      “Then let's go!”

 

      Kazuya immediately picked up the pace. Tatsuya laughed quietly to himself before jogging to catch up with him. After more walking, the train station finally came into view. They had made it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey loves...It's really been a while, hasn't it Q.Q I'm SO, SO sorry :( A 3 month hiatus wasn't exactly in my plans, but between school and family life, I was really busy and not exactly happy, so I actually stopped writing for like 2 of the 3 months-.-' The first month, I'll admit I was writing a different story...and I'm STILL writing that one, but almost done, so I'll be getting back to this one hopefully. That being said, I start school again tomorrow (and kinda wanna cry OTL), so my updates for this could be monthly or worse :/ Buuuuut, I still am determined to finish this story, so if you're willing to put up with me, please keep reading! It'll make me super happy^^ As will some comments, though those aren't required of course XD Reading and enjoying it is enough for me^^ Anyways, we got to see some more of our other 3 guys since the last chapter was Kameda-centric...Those two will be back next chapter though^^ Soooo, hopefully, school won't kick my butt, I'll finish the last bit of this other story (it's Kis-My-Ft2 related so if you like them give it a try maybe?) and I'll start giving this poor baby some much needed attention XD Hope everyone is happy! Til next update :3


	11. Chapter 11

      As Tatsuya and Kazuya neared the city, Tatsuya's head was pounding. At first, he thought it was dehydration. As they reached the outskirts of the city though and a child's happy scream pierced his ear, causing him to wince, he knew it wasn't the dehydration giving him a headache. Kazuya noticed him wince and leaned towards him, looking at him with worry.

      “You ok?” He asked.

      “Yeah...” Tatsuya mumbled.

 

      There were so many voices flooding his head he could hardly hear Kazuya. It was scary because the latter was standing right next to him. Would it get even worse as he went further into the city? This city was much larger than the last one too. Would he be able to locate the others in this condition?

      “So do you think you can find them?” Kazuya asked.

      “W-What?” Tatsuya stuttered.

      “The others. Can you hear where they are?” Kazuya looked at him skeptically.

      “Yeah...”

 

      Tatsuya closed his eyes, trying his best to locate them with his hearing. Finally, he heard Taguchi's piercing laughter, followed by Koki grumbling and Nakamaru trying to keep the peace. Within seconds, his head was flooded once again with the cacophony of the city. Still, it had been enough to figure out their direction and rough location.

      “They're that way,” he said weakly, pointing ahead.

      “So I guess we keep walking,” Kazuya sighed.

      “Yeah...”

      “You sure you're ok?”

      “I'm fine. Let's go.”

 

      Tatsuya's responses were brief, but thankfully Kazuya didn't pressure him for more. Instead, he turned and immediately started walking. Tatsuya followed behind, gripping at his head as the pounding became worse. There was so much noise, he felt like his head was going to explode.

 

      As they walked on, Kazuya seemed to speed up. Normally, Tatsuya would be able to keep up easily, but his head was throbbing so much that he could hardly see straight. They weren't anywhere near where he'd heard the others, but he couldn't keep this up much longer.

 

      He called out weakly to Kazuya, but the latter didn't hear him. People had started cutting into the growing space between them, separating them further. Tatsuya was bumped and pushed by the flood of people. His surroundings span around him and soon enough, everything went dark.

 

~*~

      Kazuya glanced around, bewildered by the amount of people and buildings. This city was definitely overwhelming. He wanted to get off the streets and reunited with the others as soon as possible. He turned around to ask Tatsuya how close they were, but he was no where to be found.

 

      Kazuya's heart sunk. He scanned the area, but he couldn't see Tatsuya amongst the crowd. He pushed his way to a corner of the sidewalk that wasn't swarming with people and began doing a more in depth scan of the surrounding area. Finally, he spotted him collapsed against a building, some ways away.

 

      He pushed his way over to Tatsuya. He grabbed his shoulders and shook him gently. Still, he didn't stir.

      “Ueda!” Kazuya called. Tatsuya cringed at the sound.

      “Don't shout...” He whimpered.

      “Sorry,” Kazuya whispered. “What's wrong?”

      “It's too loud...I feel like my head's gonna explode.”

      “Why didn't you say something?” Kazuya asked.

      “Because I'm not used to being this affected...I thought I could make it...”

 

      Kazuya sighed and nodded. He grabbed Tatsuya's arms and slung them over his shoulders. Then he grabbed the other's thighs and hoisted him onto his back, carefully getting to his feet afterward.

      “I'll carry you, but I need you to try and get us to the others. Do you know where they are?”

      “More or less,” Tatsuya muttered.

      “Alright. Hang in there, ok?”

 

      Tatsuya nodded into Kazuya's shoulder. Normally, he would have tried to push himself and walk, but at this moment, being carried by Kazuya was perfectly fine. He couldn't move even if he tried.

 

      He pointed Kazuya in the right direction, leading him closer to the hotel where the others were. When it got too loud, he would nestle his head into Kazuya's neck, trying to block out some of the sound. In hindsight, it was probably a bit too close for Kazuya's comfort, but the younger seemed to be understanding and said nothing.

 

      Finally, they made it to the large hotel the others were at. Kazuya stared up at the building, his mouth gaping a bit.

      “How do we find them here...”

      “Well, you could ask the front, but that gets extra people involved...” Tatsuya said tiredly. “Give me a sec...”

 

      Tatsuya closed his eyes, trying to focus on them. This area was a bit quieter than some of the other streets they'd braved, but the hotel was still very lively. Finally, he caught on to the other's voices and calculated their location.

      “They're on the third floor, to the back of the hotel...”

      “Ok...Do you know which room is theirs?”

      “Yeah. I can direct you.”

 

      Kazuya nodded and readjusted Tatsuya on his back. He went into the hotel and relaxed a bit at the lack of a bustling crowd. He smiled awkwardly at the person working at the front desk, then rushed over to the elevator. He drew a lot of unwanted attention with Tatsuya on his back like this.

 

      He pressed the button for the third floor. The world was painfully silent for him in the hotel, so he couldn't imagine how Tatsuya's world sounded. He was almost thankful that his gift didn't hinder him like this. Then again, if he had another vision, he would be a mess for days.

 

      The elevator doors opened and he got off on the third floor. He glanced around nervously. Tatsuya hadn't moved much since they got to the hotel, so he wasn't sure he was even conscious still. One of the arms on his shoulders lifted up and pointed to the left.

      “They're that way...Room 316...”

 

      Tatsuya'a arm flopped back down on Kazuya's shoulder. The younger walked down the hall, stopping in front of the room. He took a deep breath, hoping Tatsuya hadn't misheard, and knocked on the door. There was no response and Kazuya thought about knocking again, but finally, the door cracked open slightly.

      “Kame?” Yuichi asked. He opened the door more. “You made i- What happened to Ueda!?”

      “Shh...” Kazuya started, walking into the room as Yuichi motioned him. “There's too much noise in this city,” he explained quietly. “Ueda can't handle it. He collapsed on the street.”

      “Shit...” Koki gasped, looking at them.

      “I think he's ok,” Kazuya continued, laying Ueda down on the bed that Junnosuke wasn't sitting on. “But we need to keep our voices down, and I don't suggest staying here for too long...It can't be good for Ueda.”

      “Yeah. I agree,” Yuichi sighed. “Have you two eaten? We were about to get food...”

      “No. We haven't eaten since this morning, now that I think about it...”

      “Alright then. Koki, you want to go get some food? I went last night and these two just made it here, so I don't want to send them back out again.”

      “Yeah.”

 

      Koki got up and grabbed some money off the table, then left the room. Kazuya stared after him, eyes wide. He'd never seen Koki be that civil. What had happened while he and Ueda were away.

      “Koki's awfully obedient now...” Kazuya murmured.

      “He's a big softy underneath it all,” Junnosuke explained, giggling a bit at the end.

      “He has calmed down quite a bit over the past few days,” Yuichi agreed.

      “That's good,” Kazuya sighed.

 

      He sat on the bed next to Tatsuya and brushed hair out of the latter's face. Yuichi noticed and smiled a bit.

      “You two seem to be doing better too,” he commented.

      “I guess...” Kazuya sighed. “Ueda really doesn't take care of himself...and he tries to hide when he's struggling...Hence, he didn't sleep for over a week and collapsed on the street from all the noise.”

      “Wow...He's really something...” Yuichi remarked.

      “He's a handful,” Kazuya finished. “I feel like I have to constantly watch him...But...”

      “But?” Junnosuke asked.

      “I don't mind it entirely...” Kazuya said quietly.

 

      The other two exchanged glances and smiled. They continued talking quietly amongst each other until Koki got back with food. Then, they ate in a comfortable silence. Kazuya tried to wake Tatsuya up to eat, but it was futile. He didn't want to try too hard either. Tatsuya needed all the rest he could get right now.

 

      They spent the evening each doing their own things, sometimes talking to each other. Slowly, people drifted off to sleep. Nakamaru curled up on the couch so that Kazuya and Tatsuya could sleep on a bed for once.

 

      Kazuya laid down beside Tatsuya, looking into the man's face. He timidly reached for Tatsuya's hair, running his fingers through it a few times. He jumped and retracted his hand when Tatsuya grumbled quietly. Soon, the latter opened his eyes tiredly.

      “That felt good...” He mumbled.

      “W-What?”

      “Your hand...”

      “But you made a noise...” Kazuya said, worried. Tatsuya laughed quietly.

      “It wasn't because of you...It was someone else.”

      “Someone else?”

      “Mhm. Someone on the floor above us dropped something heavy.”

      “Really? I didn't hear...”

      “Of course not. It was on the other side of the hotel,” Tatsuya sighed.

      “You really can hear a lot, can't you...” Kazuya mumbled, bewildered.

      “Mhm. For instance, in this hotel alone, there's a woman shouting at her husband over the phone, there are children crying and screaming for their toys, a man is practicing his speech for a business meeting tomorrow...a couple is having sex- oh, they just reached the climax.”

      “Oh my God, too much information!” Kazuya fussed, being sure to keep his voice down and not wake the others. Tatsuya just laughed some more.

      “There's a lot more where that came from,” he sighed.

      “Your gift is really intrusive, isn't it?” Kazuya sighed. Tatsuya's face fell and Kazuya immediately regretted saying that. “I don't mean it like that...I know you can't help it.”

      “Still, I wish it didn't have to be this way. I wish I didn't have to always hear more than I wanted to...I'm tired of it...I'm just a creep...”

      “You aren't,” Kazuya soothed, running his fingers through Tatsuya's hair again. It seemed to help calm the other down. “You're just fine. You aren't a creep. I promise you that. I mean, I see visions and might as well have telescopes for eyes...Nakamaru stops time, Taguchi's a freezer, and Koki's apparently a light bulb. None of us are normal honestly...but that doesn't make us creeps or freaks either.” Tatsuya chuckled.

      “You really have a way with descriptions...”

      “I was just saying it as it is~”

      “Thank you,” Tatsuya whispered.

 

      Kazuya nodded and smiled shyly. He liked hearing that word. He liked being able to help someone, to have someone around him. He was already forgetting what it felt like to be alone.

 

      Tatsuya sighed and rubbed his temples. Kazuya's heart clenched a little. He wished he could make the world quieter. All he could do was try to block the sound out though. And block it, he would.

 

      He reached for Tatsuya and pressed himself close to him, making sure that Tatsuya's head was pressed against his chest. He needed his heartbeat to sleep after all.

      “W-What are you doing?” Tatsuya asked. He was glad Kazuya couldn't see his completely flushed face.

      “You can't sleep without listening to my heartbeat, right?” Kazuya asked.

      “Yeah...but I don't think I'm gonna be able to sleep in general...”

      “At least this way, you hear it loud and clear, right?”

      “I guess...”

 

      Kazuya sighed sleepily and relaxed against Tatsuya. The latter took a few calming breaths, then closed his eyes, nuzzling into Kazuya's chest. He didn't expect himself to sleep peacefully that night, but being this close to Kazuya was definitely something he would relish.

 

      It wasn't just Kazuya's heartbeat that soothed Tatsuya now. It was his entire being. The warmth Kazuya's body provided was addicting. Tatsuya felt safe beside Kazuya. He felt needed, wanted. Tatsuya could only pray that Kazuya felt at least a little of what he was beginning to feel for him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit...I updated...Phew OTL Alright, so after 5 months of not writing any more of this story (I had a few chapters previously written), I think I'm getting back to it. School's still very much killing me, but I'm going to try and write when I can >.> I kinda need to reread what I wrote and regroup since I'm changing a few things that are happening in the upcoming chapters...But I figured I should update this since I still have 2 more chapters sitting around. So this was a Kameda chapter, wee~ Hope you guys enjoyed it XD Thanks for those still reading^^


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